History
The Sherwood Forest Theatre was founded in Murrysville, Pa., in 1950. The Theatre's productions were staged in a 100-year-old barn on the property of its founders, Joseph and Alphretta DeSimone. Throughout its years, Sherwood performed small, but quality community theatre. Each season consisted of six to nine productions which were performed over the summer months and ranged from light-hearted comedies and musicals to serious drama and politically themed plays. Sherwood became a non-profit incorporation in 1958. In 1973, the daughter of the De Simones, Joy Tobin, became the producing director. She began the process of applying for and receiving state and federal funding for the theatre, which paid for staffing and production costs.
In 1980, the Theatre's Board of Trustees created Sherwood's mission statement: "The Sherwood Forest Theatre is a not-for-profit, incorporated community theatre committed to providing, through professional leadership: 1. Quality theatre for its audiences. 2. The opportunity for participation by all members of our community without regard to age, sex, race, or religion. 3. Additional educational experiences in theatre arts for all ages. 4. The enhancement of the cultural growth of the area population." In the late 1980s, federal funding became more scarce as the United States slipped into a recession. The Sherwood Forest Theatre ceased operations at the end of its 1994 season due to financial difficulties.
