The Venue – The gate to the The Grove venue open 90 minutes prior to show time, this allows access to parking & picnic areas, wine bar, concessions and the beer garden.
Early Entry for theater seating- 60 minutes prior to the scheduled performance time
The Early Entry line is only available to SCS Members, as well as larger groups that have made arrangements through our group sales office.
Want to get in the Early Entry line? Become a member now!
General Entry for theater seating – 45 minutes prior to the scheduled performance time
General entry is first-come, first-served, so the earlier you get in line, the better spot you’ll get if seating Groundling.
Groundling Seating: Groundling seating is general admission. If you have a Groundling/General Admission ticket, you can sit on a blanket. Beach chairs are allowed in the Groundling Boxes and Groundling back row of the right and left side areas not in the center Grounding blanket section area as marked on the seating chart. Guests bringing beach chairs must have beach chairs that measure no more than 24 inches from the ground to the top of the chair. Blankets and beach chairs are available for rental prior to performance for $3.
Assisted Listening Devices are available for rental free of charge. Please check with the box office upon your arrival to reserve a unit for the performance.
Is the Festival season suitable for children?
Children age 6 and above are welcome to attend our performances; no children under age 6 please. While SCS’s summer festival plays are not specifically geared towards children, we do strive to be a theatre that welcomes younger audiences. The plays generally run between two and three hours in length, and you are the best judge of your children’s ability to enjoy each play.
What are the “All-Ages Matinees?”
This year, we are offering three matinees that are for patrons that wish to bring any family member of any age. All patrons, regardless of age, need a ticket. However, do note that we do not change artistic content for these productions. You are the best judge of what is appropriate for your children and use your discretion.
Seat Cushions, Beach Chairs, and Blankets Rentals
Seat Cushions and Beach Chairs (low height- no higher than 24 inches) are available for a $3 rental prior to performance. Beach chairs can be used for groundling box seating, and the back row on the Groundling left and right sides, not in the center Groundling blanket area. Cushions rentals are available for any seats in the house. SCS is pleased to share we’re partnering with the Soroptimists of Capitola, and partial proceeds from the rentals will support their scholarships for women and girls.
For concessions information, see the above tab.
Weather
Since this is coastal California, seasoned Shakespeare festival-goers will tell you to be prepared for anything! There will be shade cloth protecting the bulk of theater seating for matinee performances, although hats and sunscreen are still recommended. For evening performances, please dress warmly (and you may wish to bring a blanket), as Santa Cruz evenings can become quite chilly. For the forecast on the day/evening of the performance, check out the Grove’s personal weather station.
Rain Policy: The Festival rarely has had to cancel a performance due to rain. We do, however, have a policy if such a situation were to occur.
