Frequently Asked Questions
What if it rains?
What time does the show end?
What happens to ticket holders if a performance is cancelled?
When/where do the busses pick up?
What is seating like?
Can I save seats?
What should I bring?
What NOT to bring:
What if it rains?
We check the weather the morning of the show date. If there is any concern, we monitor it very closely and post a status message on our website home page and office voicemail by 7:00 am. The options are as follows:
1. Hold everything for an hour to see if weather will clear, or
2. Cancel the show
There are NO REFUNDS given on any ticket purchase. If the show is cancelled due to weather, all tickets for the cancelled performance will be honored at any remaining show date. No formal exchange will be required. Just bring your ticket to the show you would like to attend! It's that easy.
What time does the show end?
It varies from year to year, but generally speaking, the play is usually over between 4 and 4:30 pm.
Please leave ample time to get down the mountain, especially if you are taking the Mt. Play Shuttle bus.
What happens to ticket holders if a performance is cancelled?
There are no refunds given on any ticket purchase.
If the show is cancelled due to weather, all tickets for the cancelled performance will
be honored at any remaining show date.
In the event of a rain-out, instructions will be available on this website or
by calling the office at 415-383-1100 ext. 304
When/Where do the busses pick up?
All information about our free shuttle services can be found on the 'How to Get Here' page. This page includes where and when to pick up the bus, directions for those driving by car, as well as information for cyclists.
Free round trip Express shuttles leave continuously from 10am to 1pm from the following locations in Mill Valley:
Manzanita Commuter Parking Lot at the junction of Highway 101 and Highway 1 underneath the freeway, and Tam High.
Directions to Manzanita Commuter lot:
From San Francisco - Take Hwy. 101 north across the Golden Gate Bridge. Exit at Hwy. 1, Stinson Beach. Once you've driven under the overpass, turn left into the commuter lot before the light.
From north of Mill Valley - Take Hwy. 101 south and exit at Hwy. 1, Stinson Beach. Turn right at the stop sign at the end of the ramp. Turn right at the first light to drive toward the overpass. Make the first right into the commuter parking lot.
Tamalpais High School is located on Miller Avenue at Camino Alto.
What is seating like?
Most seating in this 4,000 seat stone amphitheatre is general admission, meaning that the seats are first-come, first-served. Often, people arrive early for the show and picnic at their seats. Because of our unique venue, and because of the large number of people who attend our performances, we have developed some important guidelines to make the Mountain Play a positive experience for all. Please take a moment to review our policies before you come to the show.
Can I save seats?
When you arrive, you may save seats for people in your party who have not yet arrived, but we ask that 1 person not reserve more than 10 seats. Please be courteous to others by using only one seat space per person. DO NOT USE CAUTION TAPE to save your seats. Caution tape is reserved for official uses on the mountain. Blankets and beach towels, or other kinds of tape are excellent ways to save seats. The front gate of the theatre opens at 9:00am.
What Should I Bring?
--Cushions/Blankets
--Sun Protection
--Warm Clothes (for the chilly morning fog!)
--Water
--Snacks
--Alcohol (not exactly a neccesity, but it is allowed in the ampitheatre!)
Note: Water, Coffee, Morning & Afternoon Snacks and Ice Cream, Lunch and Beer & Wine are ALL available for sale on the mountain.
What NOT to Bring
Dogs
Sorry! We love dogs, but absolutely no pets of any kind (except for service animals) are allowed in the theatre on performance days.
Chairs
Stadium seats are the ONLY kind of chairs allowed in the theatre.
Stadium seats are basically a pillow with a back (see the picture at right for reference). You may bring your own, or they are also available to rent at the theatre ($5 or $10 with a $10 deposit) or to buy ($40). Please call if you have any questions regarding chairs. We are very firm on this policy, and we will confiscate any 'illegal' chairs that are brought into the theatre, and return them to you at the end of the show.
Folding chairs and lawn chairs (even with very short legs)
Our concern is both with blocking the views of the people behind you, and with taking up too much space on the stone bench seating.
Cigarettes
There is no Smoking on the mountain.
The theatre is in a State Park and dry grass is all around us. We also have many patrons with serious disabilities. Please do not smoke or light fires of any kind.
Umbrellas (allowed before the show starts)
You are welcome to bring one, as long as it comes down when the show begins. We want the people behind you to enjoy the show as much as you do!