Zilker Hillside Theater

Zilker Hillside Theater

About

The Zilker Hillside Theater is committed to creating accessible opportunities for all members of the community to engage and collaborate in the performing arts. Events are always free and open to the public. Zilker Hillside Theater • Upcoming Event • Upcoming Event • Rentals • Staff • Austin Shakespeare presents Much Ado About Nothing • Metamorphosis Dance presents Ballet Under the Stars • FAQ Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment The Zilker Hillside Theater is committed to creating accessible opportunities for all members of the community to engage and collaborate in the performing arts. Performances and events are always free and open to the public. The performance season runs March through October. The Zilker Hillside Theater is managed by the Dougherty Arts Center and is part of the City of Austin's Department of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME). May 7 – May 24, 2026Thursdays – Sundays8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. In Messina, everyone is an expert on love and a complete disaster at it. Austin Shakespeare brings William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing to Zilker Hillside Theatre for a free run May 7–24, 2026, with performances Thursdays through Sundays at 8 p.m. Admission is free, although donations will be accepted. This production reimagines Shakespeare's beloved comedy in 1950s Italy, drawing inspiration from the cinematic world of Federico Fellini — a world of sun-drenched piazzas, effortless style, and the gorgeous, aching gap between how we present ourselves and who we actually are. Lively music and song are woven throughout, evoking the irresistible soundtrack of Italian life and giving the production a warmth and rhythm that feels as natural under the open sky as the scheming and sparring at its heart. In this Messina, appearances are everything, gossip is currency, and falling in love is the one thing no self-respecting person will admit to wanting. Austin Shakespeare is a participant in the Austin Arts, Culture, Music and [Google Places type: performing arts theater]