Stafford Arima

Stafford Arima is a Canadian born theater director. Arima studied at York University in Toronto where he was the recipient of the Dean's Prize for Excellence in Creative Work.

Arima directed the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz, which received the 2005 Best Musical Outer Critics Circle Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Musical. Music and lyrics are by Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker, and book is by Kevin Del Aguila. Arima directed the West End premiere of the Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens musical Ragtime, which was recognized in 2004 with 8 Olivier Award nominations including Best Director and Best Musical.

Additional credits include: Bowfire (PBS television special/world tour); Leonard Bernstein’s Candide (San Francisco Symphony); The Secret Garden (2005 World AIDS Day concert, The Hammerstein Ballroom, New York City); A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim (Boston Pops); Bright Lights, Big City (Prince Music Theater, PA); Guys and Dolls (Paper Mill Playhouse, NJ); Abyssinia (Goodspeed Musicals, CT); Chef’s Theater (The Supper Club, New York City); Ace (The Old Globe, CA); and Christopher Hampton’s Total Eclipse (TSP Studio Theatre, Toronto).

Arima also served as associate director for the Broadway productions of A Class Act and Seussical - The Musical.