Douglas Morrisson Theatre Announces 2014-2015 Season

The Douglas Morrisson Theatre (DMT) proudly announces a new season of five award-winning plays, "JOURNEYS." The 35th season begins in August with David Lindsay-Abaire's comically quirky Wonder of the World, directed by Dale Albright. In November, the dynamic team of Michael Mohammed and David Möschler bring to life the musical Candide, featuring Leonard Bernstein's glorious score. Next up is the poignant and powerful Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov, directed by DMT's Artistic Director Susan E. Evans. In Spring 2015 honky-tonk blues graces our mainstage with the musical biography, Hank Williams: Lost Highway. DMT's "Journeys" season concludes with an American classic, The Skin of Our Teeth, by Thornton Wilder, directed by Molly Aaronson-Gelb.

For the 2014-2015 season, DMT has added a fifth mainstage show, and is expanding its alternative programs on Monday nights. Alt.Mondays features the Bare Bones staged readings series and new storytelling evenings, Telling Tales, as well as the Fourth Annual Playwrights CageMatch and a Broadway Sing-Along evening. In December 2014 DMT hosts a special event -- an open house for the community in celebration of the holiday season.

"Every play this season tells the story of a journey, whether it's a trip to the edge of Niagara Falls, to find the true meaning of life, to escape a small town, to climb to country music fame and fortune, or even to time-travel through all of human history. This season is all about choice: we're inviting our audience to design their own season package. You can choose plays or musicals, comedies or dramas, or -- what we really hope -- you'll decide to explore everything DMT has to offer," says DMT's Artistic Director Evans.

The Douglas Morrisson season opens in August with David Lindsay-Abaire's comedy, Wonder of the World. Embark on a wild comic adventure of self-discovery with Cass as she boards a bus to Niagara Falls, leaving her home and husband after finding out he is not the man she thought she married. Lindsay-Abaire's play was first produced on Broadway in October 2001 by the Manhattan Theatre Club and featured Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City) as the free-spirited Cass and Amy Sedaris as a host of colorful characters.

"Hefty laughter ... exceedingly whimsical and playfully wicked.." - NY Times.

By the time the curtain falls, the randomness and hilarity of the universe is the only certainty. Directed by Dale Albright.

In November, DMT presents the rollicking musical Candide based on the 1759 novel by Voltaire, Candide, or Optimism, with music by Leonard Bernstein, book adapted from Voltaire by Hugh Wheeler; in the 1999 Royal National Version by John Caird, lyrics by Richard Wilbur; additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Leonard Bernstein. Featuring Bernstein's soaring score and lyrics from some of the wittiest writers of all time, this rollicking musical satire chronicles the lives and loves of Candide, a simple soul whose glass is always half-full. Candide, his love Cunegonde, Paquette, Maximilian, Dr. Pangloss and the old lady with one buttock survive numerous calamities but never give up their search for truth in this "best of all possible worlds." Directed by Michael Mohammed; Musical and Vocal Direction by David Möschler.

The Douglas Morrisson Theatre leaps into world of Anton Chekhov with Three Sisters in February 2015. Trapped in a provincial Russian town after the death of their father, three sisters, Olga, Mash and Irina, cling to memories of the bright and bustling Moscow they left behind as children, longing to return to a place where they imagine their lives will be transformed and fulfilled.

"To go back to Moscow! To sell the house, finish with everything here, and go to Moscow ..." Irina, Three Sisters.

"Give the sisters a railway ticket to Moscow at the end of Act I and the play will be over." Osip Mandelstam, Russian poet.

Turning melodrama inside out, Three Sisters is a story of ordinary life, where nothing much seems to happens, but everything is revealed. Directed by DMT Artistic Director Susan E. Evans.

In April 2015, get ready for honky-tonk with Hank Williams: Lost Highway - The Music and Legend of Hank Williams by Randal Myler and Mark Harelik.

" [LOST HIGHWAY has] the exhilarating feeling of Williams on stage in a particular place on a particular night...serves up classic country with the edges raw and the energy hot... " -Rolling Stone.

DMT's spring offering Hank Williams: Lost Highway, is a musical biography of the legendary singer-songwriter, Hank Williams, one of the great innovators of American popular music, and follows his rise from humble honky-tonk beginnings to his triumphs on the Grand Ole Opry and on to his eventual self-destruction at age twenty-nine. Travel the highway with the music and legend of Williams and his unforgettable songs, including "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Move It on Over" and "Hey, Good Lookin'."

In May 2015 DMT presents the 1943 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Best Drama, The Skin Of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder. From the playwright of Our Town, and former Berkeley resident, The Skin of Our Teeth is a classic of the American stage. George and Maggie Antrobus have been married for a mere 5,000 years; they have two perfect children, Gladys and Henry, and a vamp for a maid. Just a typical American family living in a present-day New Jersey suburb, but also the first family of the human race, and they must survive the Ice Age, the Flood and War - all by the skin of their teeth. The Skin of Our Teeth manages the near impossible feat of being an allegory about all of humanity and the boisterous chronicle of one family. Directed by Molly Aaronson-Gelb.

ALT. MONDAYS

Bare Bones Staged Readings - Douglas Morrisson Theatre continues its staged readings of provocative and compelling pieces by emerging new theatrical voices. Past readings have included the works of Rajiv Joseph, Christopher Shinn, Adam Bock, Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, Nathan Louis Jackson, Rolin Jones and Julia Cho. Open seating and all tickets are $10
September 29, 2014: TBA

January 5, 2015: TBA

March 30, 2015: TBA

July 27, 2015: TBA

Telling Tales

DMT is proud to launch its first storytelling series. We're inviting our community inside to share their personal true- life tales with no script and no notes. Open seating and all tickets are $5
October 6, 2014

November 17, 2014

February 23, 2015

March 23, 2015

Broadway Sing-Along Night

FREE EVENT

Ever wonder what it's like to be part of a Broadway show? On DMT's Broadway Sing-Along Night, we invite our audiences to discover their inner diva. DMT's creative team will provide the music, introduce each tune and warm up those vocal chords. All ages are welcome.

June 1, 2015

Playwrights CageMatch

FREE EVENT

June 15, 2015

DMT's Fourth Annual Playwrights CageMatch challenges playwrights from far and wide to square off - and only one will emerge victorious! DMT's artistic staff picks a theme, sends it out into the playwright's universe and then narrows the field to a few short plays we present as staged readings. The audience takes part in the action by voting for its favorite play. One night only and admission to the CageMatch is free.

DMT's Holiday Open House

FREE EVENT

December 20, 2014

Douglas Morrisson Theatre hosts an open house in celebration of the holiday season. Come make merry with our theatre staff - enjoy carol singing, Santa Claus, ornament-making, seasonal stories and much more!

About The Douglas Morrisson Theatre

The Douglas Morrisson Theatre is a program and facility of the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District, enjoying its 70th year. The Douglas Morrisson Theatre is located at 22311 N. Third St. in Hayward, next to the Senior Center and the Japanese Gardens. The Box Office is open Tuesday through Friday, 12:30 to 5:30 and can be reached at (510) 881-6777. Information is also available at www.dmtonline.org.