Founded August 16, 1950 in Washington by Zelda Fichandler, Tom Fichandler and Edward Mangum, Arena Stage is a flagship American theater. Arena Stage is one of the first nonprofit theaters in the U.S. and a pioneer of the regional theater movement. They were the first regional theater to transfer a production to Broadway, the first invited by the U.S. State Department to tour behind the Iron Curtain, and the first to receive the Regional Theater Tony Award. Taking a leadership role in extending theater’s horizons, they have implemented groundbreaking policies and programs, promoting diversity in all aspects of theater, from theatergoing to production.
