The Hammer Theater, named after former San José Mayor Susan Hammer and her husband Phil Hammer, a San José Rep Board Trustee, was completed in 1997 via a collaboration between the San José Redevelopment Agency and San José Repertory Theater Company. This distinguished company offered theatrical productions for over seventeen years for San José and Bay Area patrons and to national acclaim.

In March 2016, San José State University reopened the Hammer Theater as a modern performance venue in the heart of downtown San José. The theatre serves San José’s community and the university through programming that features student, local, and international talent. The Hammer’s mission is to serve the community through works that illustrate the unique culture of creativity, diversity, and innovation in Silicon Valley.