4 Best Performing Arts Venues in Austin, Texas

In a restored downtown vaudeville house and movie palace, this gorgeous 1915 theater presents musicals and plays by touring theater companies and hosts concerts by well-known jazz, folk, and rock artists, along with the occasional stand-up comedian and speaker series. In April, it hosts the annual four-day Moontower Comedy Festival, and during the summer, movie lovers escape the heat for the Summer Classic Film Series, featuring time-honored films from Gone with the Wind to The Wizard of Oz.

Designed quite literally to be for the city, this performing arts venue supports the work of Austin-based directors, designers, and performers committed to stage performance. In addition to offering a seasonal lineup of productions that range from Shakespeare to musicals to edgy comedies, the theatre also fosters theatrical educational through community outreach.

One of the city's most vibrant and innovative theaters, this nonprofit now has an expansive multistage complex that hosts a number of theatrical performances, intimate celebrity talks, and special events year-round. An integral part of the Austin community for nearly 90 years, ZACH also serves the local arts community with a year-round season of shows, theater camps, and educational activities.

Bring a blanket and picnic basket and enjoy a Broadway-inspired musical under the warm Texas sky. Right in the heart of the Zilker Park complex, this locally run outdoor theater has been performing on the hillsides just across from Barton Springs for 61 years and counting. The shows run through summers only and charge a pay-as-you-wish admission.