Zilker Hillside Theater

"The best spot in town for free musicals concerts and more. A wonderful way to spend the evening. Bring snacks, chairs, and enjoy."

"We took our kids to our first Zilker Hillside Theatre show on a Thursday evening. It was the last weekend of the summer show, and although we arrived nearly an hour early, it was already packed! There is lots of free parking, however, be prepared to walk a good distance to the stage. The show is free, but they do accept donations, and also sell snacks, drinks and rent out chairs for the show. Although we came during the summer, the sun wasn't shining directly on the hill, so it was pleasant to sit and wait for it to start (although very hot, we worked up a sweat!). The actual show was amazing! The actors were great and the talent is outstanding. Sometimes the orchestra was louder than the singing, which made it a bit hard to hear. Be sure to get there really early for good seats! People started putting blankets down 2 hours before showtime. Although we weren't far from the stage, we were sort of behind the stage lights pole, and we couldn't see the actors at times. Also be prepared for people coming straight from the river, meaning many people were only in swimsuits and nothing else. Overall it was a great experience and we can't wait for the next show!"

"Excellent non-profit that brings theater to the public for free. A long long time ago I worked on broadway. This is not broadway. But this is EXCELLENT regional theater. And it’s free. Come support the growing Austin Fine Arts scene. Come to be a part of the community. Come to have a good night on your own, with friends, with kids, with a date… you get the idea. But come. And support this amazing Austin institution."

"We came for Matilda show on a Sunday evening. Parking was not an issue and we had a short two minute walk to the hillside theater. It was very organized and they were plenty of seats still open. They had chairs available to rent. It was July, so it was pretty warm, even after the sun went down, but there was a slight breeze and they even handed out fans to help cool us off. We brought a picnic, however, there was a concession stand with snacks available for purchase. There are some drums playing in the background; I believe either a practice or a different show going on somewhere in the park. Overall, it was a great show and we had a great experience."

"Such a great cast and ensemble! Always a professional production. I'm blown away by the local talent! Please donate if you can. Best theater in town. I've seen the Little Mermaid, Mama Mia and Matilda- All spectacular!"