Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
The Mountain Play Staff carefully monitors the weather the days before a performance. If there is any concern or cancelations, we will post a status message on our website home page, office voicemail by 7:00 A.M., and social media pages.
On Mount Tamalpais, the weather is one of the characters and a part of the story and overall experience. As an outdoor event and performance, we are subject to the limitations that inclement weather and Red-Flag Warnings can bring. For more information about Red-Flag Warnings, check out the Cal Fire website.
NO REFUNDS are given on any ticket purchase if canceled for weather. Suppose the performance is canceled due to weather or a red flag advisory. In that case, all tickets for the canceled date will be valid for the backup performance date or, if available & at Company discretion, any remaining shows.
Always check our website and Facebook page for weather updates on the morning of each performance.
All exchanges are subject to seating & parking availability. Please call our office Mon – Fri 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. at 415-383-1100.
When a performance is canceled for weather or weather advisory, tickets for the canceled date will be valid for the backup performance or, if available & at Company discretion, any performance.
We check the weather on the morning of the performance date. If there is any concern, we monitor it very closely. When needed, we will post a status message on our website home page, office voicemail by 7:00 A.M., and social media the morning before the performance. Always check our website and Facebook for weather updates on the morning of each performance.
All exchanges are subject to seating & parking availability. For a formal exchange, please call our office Mon – Fri 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. at 415-383-1100.
To reduce the number of cars going up Mount Tamalpais, Mountain Play has shuttled guests since the 1980s. We will save you a drive up and reduce your carbon footprint. To help cover the over $100,000 price tag to use the buses, Adults are $10, and Youth 4-25 are $5. Youth 4-25 shuttle up for free on the Opening Day only.
The Shuttles pick up from 2 parking lots in Mill Valley:
- Manzanita Park and Ride (across the street from the Buckeye Restaurant)
- Tamalpais High School.
Parking at both of these lots is free. The first bus leaves around 10 A.M. and then leaves continuously until 12:45 P.M. They go as soon as they fill up. You get a colorful pass (orange or yellow) to help guide you back to the correct parking lot. At the end of the show, use the parking pass to us to help guide you onto the right bus.
Most seating in this 3,750 stone-seat amphitheater is general admission, meaning the seats are first-come, first-served. People often arrive early for the show to picnic at their seats, hike, and enjoy the state park. These stone seats were built by the Works Project Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from 1936 to 1940. They were mined from Mount Tamalpais and are a remarkable feat of human ingenuity.
As historically impressive as it is, sitting on large rocks and dirt can get bumpy. The Mountain Play rents and sells stadium seats (Cushions with a Back and No Legs) for $10 and up. You are welcome to bring blankets, towels, or cushions to sit on. If you bring any chairs or seating with legs, they will not be allowed in the amphitheater. If you bring a picnic, remember that the path behind you is the foot space for the row above.
YES, but with some limitations. You may reserve seats for up to 10 people in your party who have yet to arrive, but we ask that one person not save more than ten seats, using only one stone seat per person. The front gate opens at 9 A.M., and audience members may only save seats after that time. Any towels, sheets, or items left to save space before that time will be picked up by security and taken to the lost and found. Caution tape is used by Mountain Play security staff, and if it is found around seats, it will be removed. Instead, blankets, beach towels, small signs, or other kinds of tape are excellent ways to set seats aside for your group.
TL;DR
What’s most important to remember:
- Arrive after 9 A.M.
- One person can save ten seats, and no more
- You may not use caution tape to save seats – Security will remove it.
If you don’t want to worry about saving seats for you and your party, consider purchasing reserved seating. Click here for more information about Reserved Seating.
Definitely! After the show, if you take a shuttle bus up from Mill Valley, you can hike back down and leave your belongings for us to drive down after you.
Here’s what you do: bus up to see the show first. Then, take your belongings, like coolers, bags, or picnic baskets, to the small yellow busses just off the center aisle to the right of the theater. Your hike starts at the left-hand corner of the amphitheater, on the Rock Springs Trail, towards the West Point Inn. Download a HIKE DOWN GUIDE HERE. You can also pick one up on performance day at the Merchandise Booth or from a hiking guide at the Trail Start.
We offer a mid-way point pickup, so you can stop there if you’re tired when you get to the Mountain Home Inn. Refresh yourself with some beverages or a snack, and then catch our Midway shuttle at 6: 30, 6:50, or 7:10 P.M. back to your car. If you’re feeling good and want to walk to Mill Valley, go for it! Your belongings will be waiting for you at the Bank of Marin parking lot, where you will board another shuttle back to your car.
All along the way are Mountain Play Volunteers to help you stay on the correct trail. Please give them a Hey Ho holler as you walk on by!
If you participate, you’re involved in a long tradition of original Mountain Playgoers.
Absolutely! Stadium seats (aka LEGLESS and cushioned) are available for purchase ($50) or rent ($10). Find our friendly Stadium Seat Booth stand at the top of the entry path.
Remember that we do not allow “legged” seats or chairs. If you bring your own, ensure they have NO LEGS like the ones pictured here. Finally, other ideal seats include blankets, cushions, or sheets – they make good picnic areas!
Over its 100-year history, the Mountain Play has primarily performed in the Sidney B. Cushing Memorial Amphitheater on Mount Tamalpais or the same clearing pre-stone seat installation.
However, since 2019, Mountain Play has been expanding its “off the mountain” offerings. In 2019, 2021, and 2022 Mountain Play produced or co-produced shows in The Barn Theater, home of the Ross Valley Players on the grounds of the Marin Art and Garden Center.
Bring a group of 10 or more for great savings. When purchasing tickets in a group of 10 or more General Seating Tickets, a $2 discount will automatically apply to every General Seating Adult and Senior ticket. Youth Tickets are not discounted but count towards the 10-ticket group discount minimum.
If you want to bring a group larger than 25, please get in touch with our office so we can discuss your transportation and planning.
(415) 383 – 1100 or email [email protected]