College of Marin's December run on the Kentfield campus costs nothing, and most of it happens at the same time. Lanford Wilson's Book of Days opens in the Studio Theatre on Thursday, Dec. 3. In the same span, the college's ensembles fill the James Dunn Theatre with jazz, brass, a symphony and a wind band. On most of those days, the play and a concert start at the same hour or within one hour of each other.
The posted season goes from the Oct. 20 Chamber Singers and Vocal Jazz Ensemble concert straight to that Dec. 3 opening, with no November show in between. As of this Thursday, opening night is five weeks out, and the overlaps decide which shows you can see together.
Free Seats, Reserved Online
The college's ticket page says it plainly. The box office at 835 College Avenue, in the Performing Arts Building at Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Laurel Avenue, "is CLOSED and NO LONGER STAFFED." Tickets are reserved on Eventbrite or through pa.marin.edu. The same page lists drama and every music ensemble, from the Golden Gate Brass Band to the Marin Oratorio, under one line: "Free tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis."
The drama program has offered free admission for a while. A September 2023 college announcement for Peter and the Starcatcher called free admission "a gift from the Drama program to welcome you back to our theatre." The music listings look different now, though. The college's Fall 2024 Marin Oratorio page asked for a suggested donation of $20 general, $15 for seniors and $10 for COM students, employees and alumni. This December's Eventbrite listings for the Marin Oratorio and the College of Marin Symphony Orchestra both say "Free."
Free, first-come seating changes how you plan the evening. There's no will-call window to fall back on, and a reservation is how you hold a seat. Remember that two reservations on the same day may land in two rooms at the same hour.
The Calendar, Room by Room
Here is the full run as the college lists it. Book of Days plays in the Studio Theatre, known as PA 32. The concerts are in the James Dunn Theatre, apart from the voice recitals in Lefort Recital Hall, PA 72.
| Date | Studio Theatre | James Dunn Theatre or Lefort Recital Hall |
|---|---|---|
| Thu., Dec. 3 | Book of Days, 7:30 p.m. | |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Book of Days, 7:30 p.m. | COM Jazz Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | Book of Days, 7:30 p.m. | Golden Gate Brass Band, 3 p.m. |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Book of Days, 2 p.m. | |
| Thu., Dec. 10 | Book of Days, 7:30 p.m. | COM Vocal Jazz Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 11 | Book of Days, 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Book of Days, 7:30 p.m. | College of Marin Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | Book of Days, 2 p.m. | COM Symphonic Wind Ensemble, 3 p.m. |
| Wed., Dec. 16 | Beginning Voice Class Recital, 2:30 p.m., Lefort | |
| Thu., Dec. 17 | Advanced Voice Class Recital, 1 p.m., Lefort | |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | Marin Oratorio, 7:30 p.m. | |
| Sun., Dec. 20 | Marin Oratorio, 3 p.m. |
The table shows the overlap. On Dec. 4, 10 and 12, the play and a concert both begin at 7:30 p.m. On Dec. 13, the 2 p.m. matinee of Book of Days is still running when the Symphonic Wind Ensemble starts at 3. Saturday, Dec. 5, is the only day with a concert and the play in separate slots: the Golden Gate Brass Band at 3 p.m. and Book of Days at 7:30 p.m.
What Each Night Asks You to Give Up
The choices are easier once you know the programs. Each one is distinct enough that a conflict means picking one show and saving the other for a different date.
The play. Book of Days is directed by Andrew Eisenman. It has eight performances over two weekends, so it's the easiest show to move. The Thursday, Dec. 3 opening, Friday, Dec. 11 and Sunday, Dec. 6 matinee have no concert competing with them.
Friday, Dec. 4. Director Mark Culbertson leads the COM Jazz Ensemble in a look back at the band's favorites from the past five years. The program includes Coltrane's "Naima" and "Giant Steps," swing by Count Basie and Bill Holman, and Kris Berg's "Feather Report!" Reserve on the event page.
Thursday, Dec. 10. Dr. Laura Wiebe directs the COM Vocal Jazz Ensemble in "Feeling Good." The set includes "The Look of Love," "When October Goes," "Surrey With The Fringe On Top," "Let it Snow," Olivia Dean's "So Easy" and Rosana Eckert's "Sailing Home."
Saturday, Dec. 12. Jim Stopher conducts the College of Marin Symphony Orchestra in Dvořák's Symphony No. 6. Charles Gounod's Funeral March of a Marionette opens the program. This is the biggest orchestral program of the month, and it's on the same night as a Saturday performance of the play.
Sunday, Dec. 13. Trevor Bjőrklund directs the COM Symphonic Wind Ensemble in "American Masterworks for Band." The program features Aaron Copland, Norman Dello Joio, Howard Hanson and Vittorio Giannini's Symphony No. 3. It's also the last day of Book of Days. If you've already seen the play, Sunday afternoon is open for the band.
Saturday, Dec. 5, Fits Both
The Golden Gate Brass Band plays at 3 p.m. in the James Dunn Theatre. Cayce Carnahan directs "ALPINE BRASS," with music by Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, Johannes Brahms, Richard Wagner and others. Book of Days starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre on the same campus.
That leaves the late afternoon free between shows, and you won't need to drive anywhere. College Avenue is just outside the campus. The college also has its own Pink Owl Coffee location at 835 College Ave., which Marin Magazine listed in its Aug. 1, 2026 roundup of new places. Because seats are first-come, first-served, make two separate reservations: the brass band and the play.
Parking Depends on the Start Time
The ticket page says parking fees are waived one hour before performances in lots 2, 3, 4 and 16, which it calls the lots closest to the Performing Arts Building. The page for October's Defying Gravity listed lots 2, 3, 16 and 17 instead. Lots 2, 3 and 16 appear on both lists. Check the event page before you go.
The Campus Police parking page adds two details that matter depending on start time:
- Lot 12 is free after 5 p.m., which covers every 7:30 p.m. curtain.
- Lot 13 is free, but parking there isn't allowed from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. That makes it a daytime option for the 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. recitals, not for an evening show.
For daytime parking anywhere else on campus, the page lists a daily permit at $4 per calendar day, subject to change, sold online or at dispensers.
After the Play Closes
The week after Book of Days ends, the schedule is much simpler. Each event has its own time slot, and the busiest days are over.
The voice class recitals are on weekday afternoons in Lefort Recital Hall: the Beginning Voice Class at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16, and the Advanced Voice Class at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17. Both are taught by Dr. Laura Wiebe. Her students perform songs across genres, including original songs.
The run ends with the Marin Oratorio, also conducted by Wiebe, in "Vivaldi to Dylan: A Winter Celebration." The program pairs Vivaldi's Gloria with Sarah Quartel's Snow Angel and Adam and Matt Podd's arrangement of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released." It plays twice in the James Dunn Theatre, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19, and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 20, with nothing else scheduled against it. If you're taking someone who wants a holiday program and an early evening, the Sunday matinee works well. You can reserve it on Eventbrite.
The college's Performing Arts mailing list is linked from the ticket page. Wind in the Willows comes next, in the James Dunn Theatre from Feb. 26 to March 14, 2027.
At McArthur Love Team, we enjoy seeing our Kentfield neighbors at College of Marin, which is one of the best-kept cultural resources in Marin. If you're planning your December around these shows and want a few nearby dinner ideas or other local recommendations for the season, we'd be glad to help. Contact Us.
