Team Starkid Is Bringing The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals Back, and the Apocalypse Is Just Getting Started

Big news for Aussie Starkid fans and musical nerds everywhere. The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals is officially returning for a brand-new production, kicking off live in Los Angeles before making its way to screens around the world.
After seven years, the hit horror-comedy musical is making its triumphant return with a bigger, longer live run. Sure, it is happening stateside first, but never fear. A streaming release is coming to save all of us who cannot just hop on a plane to California.

From Hogwarts to Hatchetfield: How Starkid Took Over the Internet
Starkid Productions began in 2009 as a group of theatre kids at the University of Michigan who decided to put on a silly little Harry Potter parody for a live audience. That show, A Very Potter Musical, featured Darren Criss as Harry and an ensemble of equally chaotic, talented performers. When they uploaded the recording to YouTube, they had no idea it would go viral. Overnight, Starkid had an international fanbase and a new model for how indie theatre could thrive online.

Rather than chasing mainstream success, Starkid carved out their own corner of the internet with a series of original musicals that balanced ridiculous humour with genuine heart. Me and My Dick (yes, really) became the first student-produced musical to chart on Billboard. Starship pulled off a full sci-fi epic with puppets, homemade sets, and no budget. Twisted flipped the Disney formula to tell the story of Aladdin’s Jafar as the real hero. And Firebringer gifted the world with one of the most iconic meme moments in musical theatre history: "I don't really wanna do the work today."
Through every show, Starkid’s signature was clear. Clever writing, brilliant songs, chaotic energy, and an unshakable sense that this was theatre made by friends, for anyone who wanted to join the fun.

By the time The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals arrived in 2018, Starkid had fully mastered the art of building worlds their fans wanted to live in. But this time, they also wanted to scare them a little. Set in the sleepy American town of Hatchetfield, TGWDLM follows Paul, a regular bloke who just wants a normal life. Unfortunately, a terrifying alien force invades, turning his neighbours into singing, dancing zombies in cardigans. It is weird, it is terrifying, it is hilarious, and it quickly became one of Starkid’s most beloved shows. It also launched the "Hatchetfield Universe": a sprawling interconnected series of shows and stories that fans still dissect like it is their own personal MCU.

What We Know About the Remount
The remount of The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals will run from July to August 2025 at the El Portal Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
The returning cast is stacked with fan-favourites:
  • Jon Matteson as Paul Matthews
  • Lauren Lopez as Emma Perkins
  • Joey Richter as Ted Spankoffski
  • Corey Dorris as Bill Woodward
  • Jaime Lyn Beatty as Charlotte Sweetly
  • Jeff Blim as Mr. Davidson and General MacNamara
  • Mariah Rose Faith Casillas as Zoey Chambers, Alice Woodward, and The Greenpeace Girl
  • Will Branner as Professor Hidgens

Now, for the Aussies reading along, here is the good news. After the live LA run, a digital version of the new performance will be made available to rent. Shortly after, it will also hit YouTube for free. No need to fight time zones, book flights, or cry into your coffee. You will be able to experience the horror and hilarity from your own couch, possibly wearing trackies, as the theatre gods intended.

The Kickstarter campaign to fund the production launched Saturday, April 26th, to an amazing result, and rewards like getting your name in the credits, sticker sheets, and VIP tickets to the production are all up for grabs. While the campaign is already funded, StarKid have promised that any excess tiers hit all go towards crafting a bigger and better production. Fans are encouraged to bookmark the project and show their support if they can. Every dollar helps keep the Hatchetfield nightmare alive!

The Bottom Line
Starkid returning to The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals is not just a throwback; it is a full-circle moment for one of their most iconic shows. It proves that weird, ambitious, low-budget musicals can still change lives, spark global fandoms, and terrify you in the best possible way.
Whether you are a Paul just trying to survive, a Hidgens ready to unleash chaos, or an Aussie fan trying to time your viewing party with your mates, this is the apocalypse event you do not want to miss.
Because in Hatchetfield, it is always a beautiful day. Until it is not.
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