Abyssinia - Regional (US) Creative Team

Stafford Arima (he/him) is an award-winning director for stage and screen. With 25+ years of experience in the global entertainment industry, he became the first Asian Canadian to direct a musical on Broadway when Allegiance opened at the Longacre Theatre, starring George Takei and Lea Salonga. Arima directed the West End premiere of Ragtime, earning 8 Olivier Award nominations, including Best Director. Arima is currently the Artistic Director at Theatre Calgary where he has helmed a number of productions since 2017 including Forgiveness, Mary and Max, The Secret Garden, A Christmas Carol, and Billy Elliot. Arima has also shepherded new musical ... read more 25 Broadway shows including: Act One (Tony Award), The Scottsboro Boys (Tony Nomination), Therese Raquin (Tony Nomination), Come From Away, Flying Over Sunset, Freestyle Love Supreme, The New One, Meteor Shower, A Bronx Tale, Prince Of Broadway, Hand To God, Sondheim On Sondheim, …Spelling Bee , LoveMusik, Grace. 100 Off- Broadway shows including The Last Five Years, Fiddler On The Roof (in Yiddish), Sleepwalk With Me, and Miss Julie. 2007 OBIE Award for sustained excellence.