Cohasset Common · Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Library of Congress · Public domain
A Night at the South Shore Music Circus, Door to Door
The Music Circus in Cohasset is a summer tradition. How to plan dinner, the show and the ride home, so nobody in your group has to drive.
3 min read
The South Shore Music Circus is a summer tent theater on Sohier Street in Cohasset, where about 2,300 people sit in a circle around a revolving stage, with every seat close to the performers. It is a few minutes from Hingham, Hull and Scituate, which makes it perfect for an evening out: dinner by the harbor, the show, and a ride home with nobody in your group behind the wheel.
Here is how to plan the night.
A summer tradition since 1951
Theater in Cohasset goes back to the 1930s, when summer shows were staged in the town hall. In 1951, the South Shore Playhouse Associates put up a tent on the horse grounds of the Bancroft estate and called it the South Shore Music Circus. It became one of the earliest tent theaters in the country.
Today it is run by the same nonprofit, which also operates the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis. The two are among the very few theaters in the round under a tent that have run continuously in the United States. The summer program mixes concerts, comedy and family shows. Check the Music Circus schedule for this season's lineup.
Why go by car service?
The Music Circus has its own parking, so a car service isn't about finding a space. It is about the rest of the evening:
- Nobody has to drive. Have a drink with dinner and at the show.
- Dinner first, without a second car. Go to a restaurant in Hingham, Cohasset or Scituate Harbor, then straight to the show.
- No queue to leave the lot. When a sold-out show ends, everyone heads for the exits at once. Your chauffeur meets you and takes you home.
- The whole group arrives together. Birthdays, anniversaries and nights out with friends start in the same car.
How far is it?
| From | Distance | Light traffic |
|---|---|---|
| Cohasset Village | under 2 miles | 5 minutes |
| Hingham center | about 5 miles | 10 minutes |
| Scituate Harbor | about 5.5 miles | 12 minutes |
| Hull (Nantasket) | about 6.5 miles | 15 minutes |
| Norwell | about 7.5 miles | 15 minutes |
| Weymouth | about 8.5 miles | 15 to 20 minutes |
| Braintree | about 12 miles | 20 to 25 minutes |
Summer weekend traffic on Route 3A can add a few minutes, especially near Hingham's harbor on a beach day.
A sample evening
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| 5:30 p.m. | Pickup at home in Hingham |
| 5:45 p.m. | Dinner near Cohasset Harbor or the Common |
| 7:30 p.m. | Short ride to the Music Circus |
| 8:00 p.m. | Showtime |
| About 10:15 p.m. | Your chauffeur meets you after the show |
| 10:30 p.m. | Home |
To keep the same car all evening, book by the hour: your chauffeur waits during dinner and the show. For a simpler night, book two rides, there and back.
Make it a South Shore night out
Cohasset and its neighbors are worth arriving early for. Walk around Cohasset Common, look for Minot's Ledge Light from the harbor, or have dinner on Front Street in Scituate Harbor before the show. If you are celebrating a wedding weekend, the Common and the harbor are favorite photo stops too; see our guide to South Shore wedding photo spots.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the South Shore Music Circus?
At 130 Sohier Street in Cohasset, a short drive from Cohasset Village and Route 3A.
Do shows go on in the rain?
The theater is a tent, so the audience stays covered. Check the Music Circus for any changes on the day of your show.
Can you take us to the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis too?
Yes. Hyannis is about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Hingham in light traffic, longer on a summer weekend. Book by the hour or a round trip, and we will bring you home after the show.
