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 Hal Prince, Frank Galati, Terrence McNally and others, I’m including resources at the bottom of this page to help other storytellers, too.
Thanks, friend. Hope to collaborate with you soon.
Biography
Stafford Arima (he/him) is an award-winning director for stage and screen.
New York credits include Allegiance (Longacre Theatre), Ragtime: 25 Anniversary Concert (Minskoff Theatre), The Secret Garden: In Concert (David Geffen Hall), Carrie (Lucille Lortel Theater), Altar Boyz (Dodger Stages), The Tin Pan Alley Rag (Laura Pels Theatre), and bare (New World Stages).
Additional credits include Bhangin’ It (La Jolla Playhouse), Poster Boy (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Dial M For Murder (The Old Globe), and Ragtime (Paper Mill Playhouse / Piccadilly Theatre)—the West End premiere earning 8 Olivier Award nominations.
Arima serves as the Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary, helming a myriad of productions including Forgiveness, Mary and Max, The Secret Garden, A Christmas Carol, and Billy Elliot. He’s 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.
He’s a founding Board member of the Canadian Guild of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and a proud member of SDC and CAEA.
AWARDS
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
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
Altar Boyz
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
Allegiance
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
Artistic Director
Theatre Calgary, Canada
Bhangra Nation
(formerly Bhangin' It)
Birmingham Rep, UK
Ragtime
Piccadilly Theatre, West End, UK
Tokyo International Forum Hall, Japan
The Secret Garden
Toho Company Limited, Japan
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Stratford Festival, Canada
Selected Credits: View More
Ragtime 25th Anniversary Reunion Concert
Minskoff Theatre
Allegiance
Longacre Theatre
Two Class Acts: Ajax & Squash
The Flea Theater
The Secret Garden in Concert
David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center
Carrie
MCC Theater
New World Stages
The Tin Pan Alley Rag
Laura Pells Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company
bare
New World Stages
Saturday Night
The York Theatre Company
Ragtime in Concert
Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
Selected Credits: View More
Featured Press
Milestones
Resources


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.