Melbourne CBD, Victoria, is home to a variety of theaters and cinemas that cater to diverse entertainment preferences. Two distinct areas in the city center contain concentrations of theaters: the East End, situated in the Hoddle Grid, which houses many historic theaters; and Southbank, which is home to more contemporary venues of the Melbourne Arts Precinct. In the East End, you can find the Athenaeum Theatre, which opened in 1927 and seats 880 people hosting theater and comedy performances, along with the Capitol Theatre, known for hosting performances and movie screenings.
Southbank's Arts Precinct features the Melbourne Recital Centre, seating 221 people for live music and cinema events, the Playhouse in the Theatres Building of the Arts Centre Melbourne seating 884 people for theater performances, and the State Theatre, also in the Arts Centre Melbourne, seating 2,085 people for theater, opera, and live music events. For movie enthusiasts, Melbourne CBD offers several cinemas such as Kino Cinemas, Rooftop Cinema, and Hoyts Melbourne Central Cinemas, with a stylish café and bar area for post-film catch-ups and film festival soirées.