Error in making python2.7 file executable with official py2app instructions on a hello word program - py2app

Question

OSX 10.14 (Mojave)
python 2.7
py2app version = most recent as of Feb 11th 2019
I follow the official instructions found here:
https://py2app.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tutorial.html
I'm trying to get it to make a standalone for a 'hello world' program.
Everything works until the last step, which is 'python setup.py py2app'. I get the following error:
"Traceback (most recent call last):
File "setup.py", line 18, in
setup_requires=['py2app'],"
I did not modify the contents of the setup.py file, so they are as follows"
#
from setuptools import setup
APP = ['appp.py']
DATA_FILES = []
OPTIONS = {}
setup(
app=APP,
data_files=DATA_FILES,
options={'py2app': OPTIONS},
setup_requires=['py2app'],
)
#
Note that prior to this last step, I did indeed run 'rm -rf build dist' as instructed.
The error that I get is:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "setup.py", line 18, in
setup_requires=['py2app'],
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/setuptools/init.py", line 145, in setup
return distutils.core.setup(**attrs)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/distutils/core.py", line 151, in setup
dist.run_commands()
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/distutils/dist.py", line 953, in run_commands
self.run_command(cmd)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/distutils/dist.py", line 972, in run_command
cmd_obj.run()
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/py2app/build_app.py", line 838, in run
self._run()
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/py2app/build_app.py", line 1053, in _run
self.run_normal()
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/py2app/build_app.py", line 1150, in run_normal
self.process_recipes(mf, filters, flatpackages, loader_files)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/py2app/build_app.py", line 1007, in process_recipes
rval = check(self, mf)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/py2app/recipes/six.py", line 113, in check
mf.import_hook(nm, m)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/modulegraph/modulegraph.py", line 1082, in import_hook
q, tail = self._find_head_package(parent, name, level)
File "/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/lib/python2.7/site-packages/modulegraph/modulegraph.py", line 1182, in _find_head_package
raise ImportError("No module named " + qname)
ImportError: No module named gdbm