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Home | "Peter Pan" Soars at the 2015 Mountain Play!

"Peter Pan" Soars at the 2015 Mountain Play!

Peter Pan Mountain Play 2015

When we learned last year that the 2015 Mountain Play production was Peter Pan, we were really excited. We attended the opening performance of Peter Pan on Sunday and we were definitely not disappointed! Sir J.M. Barrie's timeless tale of the Darling Children, the boy who wouldn't grow up, Captain Hook, and the Lost Boys was presented in its 1954 Broadway musical form, with classic songs like "I Gotta Crow", "I'm Flying", and "I Won't Grow Up", among others. This year's production was directed by Michael Schwartz, with musical direction by Debra Chambliss, and choreography by Nicole Helfer.

The Mountain Play's Peter Pan is fast-paced with plenty of singing, dancing, and audience participation. Before the show, groups of pirates and Lost Boys roamed the audience to pose for photos and get the crowd excited for the performance to come.

Peter Pan Mountain Play 2015 Peter Pan Mountain Play 2015

Melissa WolfKlain stood out as an appropriate boyish and daring Peter Pan, but we all felt the show was stolen by Jeff Wiesen as a flamboyant, funny, and evil Captain Hook and David Yen as his toadying right-hand-man Smee. (In keeping with "Peter Pan" stage tradition, Wiesen played both Captain Hook and Mr. Darling.)

We also loved to see Marin musical favorite Susan Zelinsky (AKA Susan Z) return to the Mountain Play as Mrs. Darling. This year she appears along with her daughter, Ruby, who makes her Mountain Play debut as one of the Lost Boys. Overall the performance was a delight, with a wonderful energy and outstanding acting, dancing and singing, and kept us all in rapt attention from beginning to end.

Peter Pan Mountain Play 2015 Peter Pan Mountain Play 2015

Erik Flatmo's ingenious outdoor set did duty as the Darling nursery, Neverland, the Lost Boys' home underground, and, finally, Captain Hook's pirate ship. This year, the set was framed by scaffolding erected to enable Peter Pan and the Darling Children to "fly".

As always, the onstage action was accompanied by a behind-the-scenes 17-piece live orchestra directed by Mountain Play veteran Chambliss. Of course the play itself is only just a part of the Mountain Play experience, which also includes live music, puppet shows, picnics, food and drink, and hiking. Oh, in case you were wondering: the 2016 Mountain Play production will be West Side Story.

As always, it's a wonderful live musical theater experience for everyone in the family, and a must-do Marin County experience. My kids look forward to going to the Mountain Play every year. Great tickets are still available for all remaining Mountain Play performances: May 31 and June 7, 13, 14, and 21. All shows begin at 2 pm.

Peter Pan Mountain Play 2015 Peter Pan Mountain Play 2015

If You Go

General seating tickets to the Mountain Play are $40 for adults, $35 for seniors 65+, $30 for youths 14–20, and $20 for children 4–13; children 3 and under are free. Reserved seats start at $60. Order tickets online here or by phone at (415) 383-1100. You can also buy your tickets at the door; the box office opens at 9 am. Performances start at 2 pm and end around 4:30 pm, but of course you'll want to get there early for maximum fun.

When you go, make sure you're prepared for any kind of weather. Even if it's foggy in Mill Valley, the Rock Springs and amphitheater area can be above it all and bathed in bright sunlight. Of course it can be windy and foggy, too. There are some areas of shade in the amphitheater, but they're available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hats, sunscreen, and layered clothing are a must at the Mountain Play. Make sure you bring plenty of drinking water, too, although drinking fountains and drink concessions are available at the play. Amphitheater seats are all stone blocks, so stadium cushions, pillows, blankets, and other forms of padding are a good idea, too. You can rent pads at the amphitheater, and reserved seats have pads in place already.

The Mountain Play takes place at the Cushing Memorial Amphitheater in Mount Tamalpais State Park. While you can park up at the amphitheater, which is located near the Rock Springs trailhead and parking area, parking there is very limited, and fills up early in the day.

The traditional way to get to the Mountain Play is to take one of the free shuttle buses up from Tamalpais High School or the Manzanita Park-and-Ride Lot (near the Buckeye restaurant). Buses leave approximately every 15 minutes starting at 10 am, and will take you back down the mountain after the play.

For more information on how to get to there, read our Insider's Guide to the 2015 Mountain Play. You can learn more about the Mountain Play at www.mountainplay.org or (415) 383-1100.