Theatre-in-the-round

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A theatre-in-the-round, also known as arena theatre or central staging, is a stage setup in theatre where the audience surrounds the performance area or stage. Historically rooted in ancient Greek and Roman performance practices, the format was reintroduced and popularized in the mid-20th century through pioneering venues like the Glenn Hughes Penthouse Theatre in Seattle, Washington. It opened on May 19, 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 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1947, Margo Jones founded America's first professional theatre-in-the-round company with the opening of Theater '47 in Dallas. Her stage design approach was later adopted by directors for productions such as Fun Home, the original stage production of Man of La Mancha, and all plays staged at the ANTA Washington Square Theatre (which was demolished in the 1960s), including...

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