Welcome
Whether on stage or screen, the craft of storytelling usually takes place inside a black box—transporting audiences to worlds, lives, and narratives that reveal to heal.
Thank you for visiting my website, and for your interest in my story and the stories inside this black box. You’ll find my biography and other materials below.
Because I was blessed to have mentors in Harold Prince, Frank Galati, Terrence McNally and others, I’m including resources at the bottom of this page to help other emerging storytellers, too.
Thanks, friend. Hope to collaborate with you soon.
Biography
Stafford Arima is an award-winning International director for the stage. In 2015 he became the first Asian Canadian to direct a musical on Broadway (Allegiance), and in 2004 he was also the first Asian Canadian to be nominated for an Olivier Award for his West End premiere production of Ragtime.
Arima is the Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary where he has helmed new works includingForgiveness, Mary and Max, and a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Arima has also shepherded new works at the Toronto Fringe Festival, New York Musical Theatre Festival, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, and New York Stage and Film.
USA credits include Ragtime: 25 Anniversary Concert (Broadway, Minskoff Theatre), The Secret Garden: In Concert (David Geffen Hall, NYC), Carrie (Off-Broadway, Lucille Lortel Theater), Altar Boyz (Off-Broadway, Dodger Stages), The Tin Pan Alley Rag (Roundabout Theatre Company), bare (Off-Broadway, New World Stages), Dial M For Murder (The Old Globe, CA), Poster Boy (Williamstown Theatre Festival) and Abyssinia (Goodspeed Musicals)
International credits include Bhangra Nation (The Birmingham Rep, UK), Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Stratford Festival, Canada), and The Secret Garden (Tokyo), Altar Boyz (Korea) and Broadway Dreams (Moscow, Russia).
He is a founding Board member of the Canadian Guild of Stage Directors and Choreographers and a proud member of CAEA and SDC.
Photo Credit: Trudie Lee
AWARDS
Winner — Tyrone Guthrie Derek F. Mitchell Artistic Director’s Award
Best Director
5x Winner — BroadwayWorld Calgary Awards
Best Direction of a Play
Best Play
Best New Play or Musical
Best Scenic Design of a Play or Musical
Best Sound Design of a Play or Musical
3x Winner — Calgary Theatre Critics’ Awards
Achievement in Direction
Outstanding New Play
Performance in a Supporting Role
3x Winner — Betty Mitchell Awards
Outstanding Direction
Outstanding Production of a Play
Outstanding New Play
Winner — Eastern Eye ACTA Award
Best Production
3x Winner — Betty Mitchell Awards
Outstanding Production of a Play
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
Outstanding Set Design
Winner — Outer Critics Circle Award
Best Off-Broadway Musical
Winner — Off-Broadway Alliance Awards
Best Musical Revival
Winner — Laurence Olivier Award
Best Actress in a Musical — Maria Friedman
3x Winner — Betty Mitchell Awards
Outstanding Direction
Outstanding Production of a Play
Outstanding New Play
NOMINATIONS
7x Nominee — Laurence Olivier Awards
Best New Musical
Best Director
2x Best Actor in a Musical
Best Supporting Performance in a Musical
Best Lighting Design
Best Sound Design
3x Nominee — Betty Mitchell Awards
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama
Outstanding Projection or Video Design
Outstanding Costume Design
Forgiveness
9x Nominee — Betty Mitchell Awards
Outstanding Production of a Play
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
Outstanding Choreography or Fight Direction
Outstanding Musical Direction
Outstanding Set Design
Outstanding Lighting Design
Outstanding Costume Design
Outstanding Sound Design or Composition
Outstanding Projection or Video Design
6x Nominee — Alberta Film & Television Awards
Best Director
Best Scripted Feature
Best Screenwriter
Best Original Musical Score
Best Production Reflecting Cultural Diversity
Best Performance by an Alberta Actor
2x Nominee — Drama Desk Awards
Best Musical Revival
Carrie
Outstanding Musical
2x Nominee — Drama League Awards
Best Musical Revival
Distinguished Production of a Musical
2x Nominee — Outer Critics Circle Awards
Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical
Best Musical Revival
Nominee — Lucille Lortel Award
Outstanding Musical
Nominee — Joe A. Callaway Award
Best Direction
Broadway Company & Sing Out Louise Productions
A Christmas Carol
Theatre Calgary & 4K Film Production
"I Got All I Need (This Christmas)"
Lynne Shankel, Jon Hartmere & Joe's Pub
Lynne Shankel
PBS television special
Artistic Director
Theatre Calgary, Canada
Bhangra Nation
(formerly Bhangin' It)
The Birmingham Rep, UK
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Stratford Festival, Canada
Piccadilly Theatre, West End, UK
Tokyo International Forum Hall, Japan
Toho Company Limited, Japan
Selected Credits: View More
Featured Press
Milestones
The Stratford Festival Company of Forgiveness.
Featuring Stafford as Lt. Brannigan in his first high school production of Guys and Dolls in the mid-80s
Total Eclipse, directed by Stafford Arima, opened March 10, 1992 at the TSP Studio Theatre in Toronto.
Rehearsals for Show Boat, directed by Hal Prince and choreography by Susan Stroman in October 1993 at the North York Performing Arts Centre in Toronto.
Stafford with Hal Prince, an early mentor, from October 17, 1993 — World Premiere opening night of Show Boat.
Stafford with the late, great Marin Mazzie on the World Premiere Opening Night of Ragtime (1996).
Seussical rehearsals with Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, and Mentor Frank Galati at 890 Broadway in 2000.
In March 2003, Ragtime opens in the West End — garnering 8 Olivier Award nominations.
Stafford with another friend and mentor, Terrence McNally.
Sondheim visits the company of Saturday Night at The York Theatre in November 2014.
In August 2015, Stafford becomes the first Asian Canadian to direct a musical on Broadway with Allegiance.
Allegiance opens at the Longacre Theatre on November 8, 2015.
In November 2016, the company of bare creating new recording.
Christopher Newton, original Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary, with his successor (2017).
Stafford attends the Bolshoi Ballet while visiting Moscow with Broadway Dreams in April 2017.
In 2021, Stafford joins the legends of The Lights of Broadway, created by Justin "Squigs" Robertson.
Stafford reunites with Lea Michele and her parents for the Ragtime 25th Anniversary Reunion Concert
Resources
Broadway Dreams is an organization I've been involved with since 2012. As a Faculty member, I appreciate the diversity of teachings, awakenings, and faculty members that collaborate with Broadway Dreams.
As a founding Board Member of CGDC, the opportunities for emerging and developing directors and choreographers is an essential ingredient to one's journey. The Mentee Program is a wonderful opportunities for Canadians who are interested in expanding their networks and building their experiences.
As a founding Board Member of CGDC, the opportunities for emerging and developing directors and choreographers is an essential ingredient to one's journey. The Assisants & Associates Program is a wonderful opportunities for Canadians who are interested in expanding their networks and building their experiences.
I've been a member of SDC for 20 twenty years. This program provides opportunities for emerging directors and choreographers to observe and/or support experienced directors and choreographers during the production process. When I directed Allegiance on Broadway, I had the opportunity of collaborating with Makiko Shibuya as an SDCF Observer.
Mentorship is an important experience for both the mentee and the mentor. I believe in mentorship wholeheartedly, which is why I advocated for this initiative to be implemented at Theatre Calgary.
