Zilker Theatre Productions Presents our 68th Summer Musical
Roald Dahl's
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Based on the famous novel by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features an original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and a book by David Greig. The score also pays homage to the Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley score from the 1971 film with songs from the motion picture including “The Candy Man,” “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket,” “Oompa Loompa Song,” and “Pure Imagination.”
The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory…but only to a lucky few. Young Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a life-changing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination including chocolate waterfalls, nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka’s army of curious Oompa-Loompas.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is your golden ticket to a crowd-pleasing, outrageous ensemble musical!
Want to see the show before everyone else? Become a Friend of the Summer Musical with a $250+ donation and be part of the magic before opening night.
Donate now to help keep this 67+ year Austin tradition alive and accessible.
An Austin Tradition Since 1959
Originally created as a project of the Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department in 1959, the Zilker Summer Musical continues to provide high-quality musical theater entertainment to Central Texans and visitors from around the world.
Zilker Theatre Productions is dedicated to preserving this special gift to Austin audiences by producing the Zilker Summer Musical as well as sponsoring a variety of other community outreach and youth training programs.
mission
“Sustaining the legacy of serving the entire Austin community through the magic of performing while inspiring the artists of today and tomorrow.”
ZTP strives to make the Arts accessible and inspire the next generation of artists and audiences.
volunteer
ZTP offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities both on and off The Hillside. Join us by giving your time to bring this celebrated Austin tradition to life!
give
Keep the tradition going! Make a one-time or recurring donation to support free musical theater for all!
Zilker Theatre Productions, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides award-winning, free admission entertainment, boasts an audience of over 45,000 annually. ZTP is dedicated to the celebration and preservation of that unique America art form–the Broadway musical–by mounting large-scale musical productions at the Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater in Austin’ beautiful Zilker Park.
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past shows
Creating magic on The Hillside since 1959! View show programs dating back to some of our earliest shows.
about
Non-profit providing award-winning, free admission entertainment, to an audience of over 45,000 annually.
Zilker Hillside Theatre
Seating
Bring your blankets between 6pm-8pm to reserve your spot on the hillside. Ground chairs are permitted on the lawn, but high-back chairs can only be used in ADA seating and at the top of the hillside.
Food
Bring a picnic or enjoy snacks and drinks from our concessions stand.
Getting to the Hillside
We encourage ride sharing to help reduce traffic at the hillside, and at the same time help the planet.
Support ZTP
As a non-profit we rely on the generosity of sponsors to fund the ZTP productions and events that generations of Austin residents have come to love. We thank our current sponsors for helping us continue the tradition!
Huge Thank You to our 2026 Season Sponsors
