Fabulous shows! I highly recommend & support the free productions put on here. Come early, bring a picnic & if you bring tall chairs, be courteous & sit in the back. Theres nothing ruder than sitting your kids in the grass with an amazing view while people squeeze in late & setup their large, bulky chairs in front of your small children.

I really like watching plays there. I saw my favorite Disney Princess/ Disney movie The Little Mermaid play yesterday. And it was amazingly awesome!!! I loved it. After the play I got to take a picture with Ariel. We matched.

Spend a day at Barton Springs and top it off with one of the best shows in town.I was amazed at the high level of production, the superb talent of the actors and especially the costumes.The shows are free and fill up very quickly. So - come early (3-4 hours before the show starts) bring a blanket (or chairs) and grab a spot.You can then go swim in Barton Springs, take a short hike and return to watch the show.Dont forget your wallet. During intermission the actors walk around with buckets to collect donations. Youll have do much fun, youd want to tip them well.Ah.. And pack a picnic to set yourself up for the best dinner and a show.

This was my second time here and I was not disappointed. The quality of the costumes and the performances are top notch. Will be back in summer 2020 for Mamma Mia!

This year the production of THE LITTLE MERMAID was delightful. Very talented actors. Singing and dancing, costume and music were all very good.

The Zilker theater summer musical productions are fantastic! Come early to reserve a spot with a blanket, a picnic basket with a few of your favorite things, and prepare to be entertained. Admission is free and donations keep it running.

Pretty cool place. Great free entertainment for the whole family.

Always a treat. Free to the public. Do not bring dog and please tip well. Handicap access including bathrooms. Come early, drop a blanket and bring din din and have a picnic.

Another wonderful experience at the Zilker Hillside Theater! Get there early to claim a spot. At five there are usually some really good seats left. Once you stake your claim you can go for a swim in the pool before the show. I recommend you bring a low-legged beach chair for a comfortable experience (camping chairs are too high for people behind you to see.) Also there is now parking fee after 5 on Theater performance nights!

Great plays held here every summer. Great stuff. It is 100 degrees out here.

The Little Mermaid was a sweet surprise to see live at the Ziller Hillside Theater with my 2 boys who both love it when I sing part of your world...my oldest, now 16, used to beg for me to sing it at bedtime after we read a book when he was little. It was a special day! Thank you to all the actors and stage crew who worked so hard to put on a great show!! We will remember it forever!

Every summer, Zilker Theater Productions puts on a fabulous musical in the park. Admission is free, open seating, but they will ask for donations at intermission. Bring a blanket, low back chairs, snacks, and water. It’s very family friendly.Depending on the notoriety of the show, it can get really crowded so you’ll want to get there early. For good seats at a popular show like Shrek, you may want to set up a blanket around 6. For a less well-known show like All Shook Up, in most cases you could get good seats around 7. The show starts around 8:15, and end time changes per show. All Shook Up ended a bit before 11.Zilker.org for show details. They’ll update their Facebook page in the event of a delay or cancellation due to weather.

Awesome open stage. Make sure to check weather I struggled a bit to find parking

Watched The Little Mermaid with my family. It was AMAZING! The entire production was put together SO well. From the costume design, music, acting and backstage production— we were impressed and delighted with every scene! Bravo, bravo to all involved! One of the many, many reasons I love this beautiful city!

This centrally located stage usually has plenty of parking and is a great activity to enjoy outside during the summer. The shows are family and dog friendly. Every week there is a different kind of show and they and are not overcrowded (unlike other free outdoor shows during the summer).

I love coming to watch the show. Bring your blanket and picnic. Go for a swim in the springs and then watch the show. They all work so hard to put on an amazing show

Such a fun and enjoyable atmosphere. Definitely get there early (like 2 hours) if you want a good spot. Reserve a spot and then go swim at Barton Springs next door. For a free musical, its a good quality production. They do ask for donations so be prepared to give something. Well be back next summer for another great experience.

Always a professional production and the hillside provides a casual atmosphere. Fun for everyone.

Zilker Hillside is AWESOME!!! This year theyre doing The Little Mermaid. I saw it with my wife, 3 kids and mom in law. The guy who welcomed everyone at the beginning of the show even found us and invited us to the preferred seating blanket just by random! What a night, the kids were pretty wiped out the next day but well have those memories for ever.

Wonderful venue, and well done shows!

This place has a special spot in my heart. What is there not to love? They have amazing production quality and it is always a good show. I have seen every show for the past 3 years and will continue that tradition as long as I love in Austin. Check this place out, just bring some cash for the cast as you will find they deserve it :)

Love this place! My family and I have been coming for years and have never been disappointed.

I love this outdoor theater! Its got enough space for a big crowd, only there were a few poles in the way..I couldnt tell if they were part of the stage construction. Sound was great and they had cold water to fill your bottles with-> crucial in this heat even after the sun is down!

Little Mermaid was the play of summer 2019. Mama Mia will be for 2020. Will definitely be back. Get there early because the spaces fill up quickly. The first time it was just me and my wife and we were able to find a spot between all the blankets. But the second time it was a party of 6 and it was super difficult. We got there at 7pm with the show starting at 8:30. And it was already full. So I’m thinking 6pm for next year. Also there is free parking. Even though there is no postings or anything.

I highly recommend going to a performance during the spring for Shakespeare or during the summer for the musical. The acting and singing and dancing and the production quality of the shows are way above par and I enjoy going here every year! I recommend getting there early and putting down blankets to get a good spot

Its great to be in austin as there is plenty to see and do. This is a great part of the city and the shows are always amazing.

Over-crowded for venue size. Not enough signage for first-time visitors, and if you laid your blanket behind the wrong people (sitting in chairs), then your experience was an audio one, exclusively. I laid on the ground for 3 to 4 hours (including our family arriving early to claim spot) staring mostly at the sky and occasionally at the top fourth of the set. The musical sounded pretty good.

My dear companion and I came here to see “The Little Mermaid” recently. It was a wonderful experience. This was the first show Id seen here at Zilker, but my dear companion had seen other shows here—and even worked on one of them—so she knew it would be a real good time. (Real good.) I didnt know the story of “The Little Mermaid” because growing up I was a boy, but now I am mostly a girl so I really enjoyed the girly story, as well as all the musical numbers, the set design, the lighting, the costumes, the performance, the everything. And you know what? We werent bothered by ants or mosquitoes or anything the whole time we were out there. And you know what else? The Asian man sitting in front of us had the best posture ever. And do you know what else what? Ursula is a really neat lady and her ultimate demise was woefully inadequate. Not since Bob got boxed to bits by the Brit with the green glove have I seen such a disappointing demise. Where was the brawl? Where was the blood? I was also a little surprised by the ending of the play, how Ariel turned out to be a transgender man trapped inside a mermaids body. But, I guess thats Disney for you.

We were here for the Zilker Summer Musical. This is such a great Austin tradition and Im glad that I get to volunteer my time and be a part of it. This years production is The Little Mermaid and it is the Disney version of it, so expect to be singing along! I recommend arriving at around 5:30 to put down your blanket or set up your chairs and then go for a swim at Barton Springs Pool. Just dont set up in the section between the orange lines as that is reserved seating for sponsors and such.

Watched Little Memaid and it was wonderful performance.

We go to the zilker hillside musical every summer! We love living in a place that supports the arts, and also provides such an awesome outside venue! It is one of our favorite things to look forward to every summer!

Terrific production every summer. Hillside kept clean. Bring your own coolers and blankets. Chairs at top of hill only to keep viewing accessibility for all. Must arrive early for choice of seating.

Very well organized and always fun... just be sure to get there early to get a good location with a clear line of sight to the performance

Great profr5 th theater. This weekend I enjoyed Shrek! 10+++ Stars and more!

I absolutely luv Hillside theater! They put on awesome performances! We always come early to swim in Barton Springs pool prior to show to make a day of it.The fact that its free is even better!

What a great experience. Make sure you swim first if it is gonna be a hot day or you will melt. Being a blanket or lawnchairs and a cooler of snacks. The performers are very passionate and talented.

A great Austin tradition - great productions & casual venue

I love Zilkers productions. Their shows are a fun and family friendly event I always look forward to. ️

Been coming to productions for years. Come early for best seating, but cast parking opens to general use 45 minutes before curtain. Kudos to HEB for free ice cream! Donate to productions if you can...

Fun, family time for free. Our kids love meeting the cast for autographs after the play. Some negatives: the ground is a hard place to sit for several hours. Its hot and bugs bite. Honestly, the biggest problem is there always seems to be adults who squeeze their blanket in front of my kids preventing them from seeing the play.

We really liked the little mermaids play. excellent cast, costumes, music, lights, voices, and so on. Congratulations we had a lot of fun !!

Amazing show as always and loved the costumes! Also super glad its next to Barton springs so we could go for a dip before the show to cool off!

This is our 2nd year that we have seen the musicals. All I can say is WE LOVE IT & YALL ARE THE BEST!!

Awesome show for 2019 Little Mermaid

Such a great place

A wonderful place featuring an annual free show! Check out mamma Mia next year! Come early for a good seat! Parking is surprisingly available.

It was amazing, the family saw an outstanding group of actors performing The Little Mermaid. Highly recommend seeing it!

I love coming here, its amazing what they can do! But pack some bug spray!

This is a great place to come on the weekend and something free to do on a Friday night. This is a family orientated theatre. I would recommend bringing a chair so u dont have to sit on the ground. The shows are great quality and next years show is, The Little Mermaid!! Looking forward to seeing more shows here and possibly auditioning for a future show!!

Great family fun.

We saw the little Mermaid and it was so much fun! Great performances along with impressive staging and lighting.

We love the Zilker Hillside theater performances! Its a great time to watch some talented performers and enjoy the outdoor seating. Ive been coming here off and on for so many years and the memories are great. Family friendly. I highly recommend!

All shook up musical was enjoyable and not at all racy for austin

ALWAYS better than expected! Zilker Park has many attractions, but their concerts and plays are the perfect finish to any day.

Excellent Little Mermaid performance! Hot as all get out but worth the pleasure of the show with my daughters and grand daughters!

Wonderful performance of Merchant of Venice! Play was well performed, staging was minimal and worked very well. We will be back again!

Excellent productionVoices were outstanding. I will go back

Love going to the summer musical every year. Get there early like 530ish, lay your blanket and bags, then walk over to barton springs free side for a dip. Hill fills up by 615. Ends around 1030. Make it a fun family tradition.

I came to Austin on vacation and my brothers family brought us to see the Little Mermaid and it was AMAZING loved it

This is a nice, outdoor theater. Ive only been to two performances. One was pretty full and had to sit in the back but was still enjoyable. The other was half full and was a well done local production. I would recommend checking it out.

If you love Austin you love outdoor activities as especially the artsy ones. We cant go wrong with a Night on the hill! Just roll on down Barton Springs road spend a little time in the Spring some selves cool off. Youre gonna need it to enjoy the rest of the evening as the Sun sets at the stars come out. Then you can take in one of the best food theater groups 1 could hope for in the central Texas there a musical group circuit. This is so protocol so enjoyable and so very cant be missed. Whats the amazing actors work And dance their little hearts out! And the music O the music is even better! And the best part is that youre surrounded by people like yourself and doing a picnic a cold drink and Fabius entertainment in a safe environment.

Had a great time, The Little Mermaid. Fun time the the whole family!

Amazing place, we watched The Little Mermaid it was awesome experience for the kids.

The summer plays are always great here and the staff is top notch in customer service. Go see a free show and donate!

Performances are great. Seating is limited so get there early!

A beautiful downtown view. Lights display felt smaller than years past. I enjoyed when everything was in a line not little bunched together villages.

It was really fun. Just get there early and stake your claim.

Fun for the whole family. And your lil dog too

Love love love. Just an amazing show and tradition!

Great job... The key roles were spectacular.

We enjoy going to the summer musical every year with the family. What great memories we now have from the time my kids were small. My oldest is getting married, 2nd is off to college and third is a junior in HS. Take a blanket, cooler with food and drinks and friends and it will be a wonderful night out for all.

This years show All Shook Up was fantastic, I loved it! Also, I recommend arriving early before the show to set out your blankets to mark your spot. They have food on-site, but feel free to bring a picnic with!

Visited this place recently to see all shook up for free!! Not a bad view in the park. The cast was very professional for a free show. Parking was free as well. Beautiful venue and I highly recommend it!

Free show! Get there early, like before 5pm.

Love! Love! Love! Fantastic productions. Great memories.

25 years of seeing this, life changing music at little mermaid

Just sent The Little Mermaid... Awesome

Best place to enjoy a free high quality play

Great area to see a stage come to life, and its free

Amazing family experience, but be prepared to pay to park, and get there early and save your spot! You can enjoy the crystal clear water while you wait for the show.

Every production is excellent and its a family tradition from when my wife was a little girl. Get there early and lay down your blanket. Bring some cold drinks and some snacks in a cooler. Enjoy. Getting out of the parking lot doesnt take very long either.

Because EVERY May for 36 years Austin Shakespeare does 3 week of exceptional Shakespeare for FREE!!! And theres parking!!!

An Austin tradition for 60 years. Great fun for the whole family. Set a blanket on the hillside under the stars and prepare to be entertained m!

We come every year and its always a blast. The shows are fantastic, the audience is fantastic. This is such a great sense of community coming to these events.

Good venue. Tolerable even on hot days bc performances start near sundown. $5 chair rentals. No mosquitoes on me.

Hella hot but loved, LOVED the little Mermaid

Came to see a performance of Hairspray and was blown away. Great hillside location that makes a natural amphitheater with shade in the back. We brought our own food to munch on while we waited for the show to begin. The show itself was amazing, and best of all, it was free!

This theater is awesome and worth the time. the biggest reason that this place is awesome for me is, that most of the actors are from Broadway. so you know that this place is make sure that the audience is entertain. i think that the best part is that the whole production is done by donations and help from the city of Austin. Also you can take photos and autographs after the performance with the actors. so i give this theater loved it for the experience.

Loved watching the little mermaid here.

Shakespeare in the park and the summer musical are Austin institutions. Seating area is grass so bring chairs or a blanket. Get there plenty early for the free musical if you hope to claim a good spot.

Wonderful! Such a great little theater!

Great show and plenty of seating, bring a chire and a smile!

Ballet under the stars was a great performance. Nice stage and good lighting. I enjoyed this outdoor venue.

Love this place kid friendly dog friendly.

Wow. My family and I randomly saw a banner ad over Burnet Road announcing that the world-famous musical, Oklahoma!, was playing Sunday evening and we decided to check it out. I didnt know what to expect, but knew it would be an outdoor theater experience. Located right next to Barton Springs Pool, this cozy amphitheater sits at the bottom of the hillside. Guests can bring blankets and low-profile lawn chairs to catch the show. I arrived, fully expecting to pay for tickets, only to find out that this company doesnt charge admission and operates solely on donations collected during intermission. This is amazing and makes me love Austin that much more. This summers production was spectacular. There were more than a handful of actors on stage that could immediately be on Broadway. The directing was superb and the choreography was excellent. I loved the chemistry on stage between Ado Annie and the Peddler. They were a fantastic casting decision. Show time starts at dusk, but arrive early to get a good spot on the hill. There are concessions available for purchase, which help to support the theater. After sitting on the hill for four hours, my back was sore, and I will bring a low-profile seat the next time we attend. Parking is $5.

All Shook Up, a play under the starts, celebrating 60 years of Zilker Theater, runs until mid August. Thursday through Sunday evenings, 8:15 p.m. fill with music, dancing...Elvis is definitely in the building. Correction on the lawn.

Great place to see a summer musical after taking a swim in Bartton springs.

Enjoyed some great local theater production of a Shakespeare work I hadnt seen before. Able to bring picnic and refreshments also sold.

Loved it!!!! The atmosphere is great, cool Austin vibes, super close to Barton Creek mall and pool. Make sure to get there early to set down a blanket!

Great place to go in the summer (or any season) for a FREE show (accepts donations). I would go again. Bring a picnic and some blankets for a show. Check the website or Facebook for dates and shows. Please be cognizant of viewers behind you!! Share the theater greens(:Great restaurants on Barton springs Blvd. to take take out before show time.