Theatre-in-the-round or arena theatre (also referred as central staging) is any theatre space in which the audience surrounds the stage area.

The Glenn Hughes Penthouse Theatre in Seattle, Washington was the first theatre-in-the-round venue built in the United States. It first opened on May 16, 1940 with a production of Spring Dance, a comedy by playwright Philip Barry. The 160-seat theatre is located on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.