Singin' in the Rain

Singin' in the Rain is playing at the Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater in Zilker Park from July 10 through August 15, with performances running Thursday through Sunday at 8:15 PM. It's the Zilker Summer Musical, an Austin tradition that goes back to 1959 when it started as a project of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department. These days it's put on by Zilker Theatre Productions, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that brings more than 45,000 people a year to the hillside theater in Zilker Park.

The production is a stage adaptation of the movie musical, adapted by Broadway legends Betty Comden and Adolph Green from their original screenplay. They kept every scene, song, and dance from the film, including the title number with an onstage rainstorm. The story follows silent-film stars Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont, whose on-screen relationship is a hit with audiences, though behind the scenes Lina's squeaky voice threatens her career in the new era of talking pictures—unless a talented young actress can step in to help. It's rated G by Music Theatre International.

If you've never been, the format is part of the experience. The theater is an open hillside in Zilker Park, and people arrive with blankets between 6 PM and 8 PM to reserve their spot before the show starts. Admission is free, though donations are encouraged. The performances run Thursday through Sunday, so you've got a few nights a week to choose from throughout the summer.