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The Douglas Morrisson Theatre is owned and operated by the
Hayward Area Recreation and Park District. Our theatre is
funded by the property taxes of the people who live in our
district, which includes Hayward, Castro Valley, San Lorenzo
and other portions of unincorporated Alameda County. We have
an annual budget of $320,000 and return approximately $240,000
in revenue from ticket sales, costume, and equipment rentals.
Additional revenue is generated through donations to our Patron
Program.
Our Mission - The mission of the Douglas Morrisson
Theatre is to provide an opportunity for active recreation
for the amateur performer for artistic expression and social
participation while providing the highest quality theatre
experience as passive recreation for our audience. The Douglas
Morrisson Theatre strives to provide the amateur performer
with a creative and supportive professional staff committed
to encouraging the performer to grow as a theatre artist,
and to foster a better understanding of, and respect for the
art and craft of live theatre.
The Douglas Morrisson Theatre is committed to providing the
highest quality performances that our budget, time, and the
combined talents of staff and participants can achieve.
Our 250 seat theatre has become a valuable resource for the
entire Bay Area Theatre community. The theatre's extensive
costume, scenery and property inventory is available for rental
to the community at www.dmtrentals.org.

From its inception in the 1960's with the HARD Community Players,
the District's theatre program has flourished. The HARD Community
Players performed at Chabot College from 1967 to 1975. Youth
Programs were added in 1969 and operated out of the Carriage
House Theatre on the grounds of the Meek Estate in San Lorenzo,
California. The Carriage House Theatre produced plays by young
performers ages 6 through 12 as the Katzenjammer Players.
Teens performed as the Carriage House Masquers.
Today local actors perform at the Douglas Morrisson Theatre,
located on the grounds of the Hayward Japanese Gardens. The
District oversaw the development and construction of the theatre
in 1977-78. It was named The Little Theatre at its dedication
on November of 1978. The theatre presented its first public
performance in January of 1979 with a production of the Rodgers
and Hammerstein classic, The King and I. The theatre
operated under The Little Theatre name until 2003 when it
was renamed the Douglas Morrisson Theatre.
The theatre produces a season of plays and musicals opening
in January of each year and closing with a holiday show in
December. The theatre also produces three concerts by the
Morrisson Theatre Chorus each year. In the summer, children
from 7 to 14 participate in one to two-week Theatre Camps
for Young Performers. Adults and teens enjoy classes in voice,
acting, scene study and other theatre disciplines.
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