"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"... is an old story rife with richly drawn characters, the kind of personalities that lend fancy and panache to the castle-lush fairy tale. Of course, one of the best-known characters never speaks a line, and yet there it is, adding such depth and mystery to the yarn that it seems impossible not to mention it early on: the woods. The forest is what separates our two protagonists at first, and it is the forest that keeps Beast secluded, away from life among the townsfolk. But when one ventures out to see a "Beauty and the Beast" film or live production, venturing through copse of trees or a forested stretch isn't typically an option. You usually traverse a few streets, and buildings, to reach the show or movie. But that can all change when you hike along the trail at...
MOUNT TAMALPAIS STATE PARK... to the Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre, the longtime home of The Mountain Play. The annual warm-weather theatrical event, which presents a play over a series of select May and June afternoons, is indeed featuring Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" in 2017, with a number of dates still to come (May 28, June 4, June 11, and June 18). Tickets run from $25 to $40 for the play, which begins at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Picnics are allowed, though there shall be food for purchase, and sunscreen and hats are on the recommended list. Cushions? You can rent or buy them there. And while there is limited parking, and a shuttle, some theater goers choose to make the hike up, through the woods, to the amphitheatre. Is this option for you? To put you in a fairy tale-esque mood? Find your way through the trees, to Beast's castle, here.
