Stafford Arima always knew he wanted to work in theatre, but instead of performing like he originally thought, he is now the artistic director for Theatre Calgary.
While drawn to theatre early on, it was when he saw Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita at age 11 that he knew he wanted to work in the industry.
Arima recalls that first experience, sitting in a dark room with a bunch of people and watching a story take place on stage.
“It’s probably why I became really intrigued and fascinated by the musical art form.”
Originally, Arima thought he wanted to perform and attended York University’s theatre program— something he might never have done if not for his mom urging him to go to school. At York he met Ron Singer, a professor who pushed him towards learning about what went on behind the scenes in theatre rather than acting on stage.
Fresh out of university in the early ‘90s, Arima’s first professional directing job was for Total Eclipse by Christopher Hampton about the relationship between two artists. Since then, he’s directed a number of shows including the Carrie revival, Ragtime and Altar Boyz, which he was the first ever to direct.
In 2015, Arima also became the first Asian-Canadian to direct a Broadway show. Allegiance is about the internment of Japanese Americans during the Second World War. While he knows the story is important to tell, Arima has complicated feelings about having a claim to this title.
“I find it embarrassing because, again, I’m just Stafford who grew up in North York at Finch and Bathurst,” he said.
Arima joined Theatre Calgary as its artistic director in 2017, helping to program shows for the season and lends a hand directing as well.
Lesley MacMillan, a former producer at Theatre Calgary, says Arima’s way of telling stories is especially heartfelt.
“He is an extremely kind and gentle person who, I think, has an uncanny understanding of people in the human condition, which really informs his storytelling.”
Despite his successes, Arima had some second thoughts about his aptitude for the job, revealing, “I was headhunted for this job, and I never thought of myself as an artistic director.”
While he directed a number of shows, he has three favourites – Billy Elliot, Forgiveness, and A Christmas Carol. The last of which used a new adaptation by Calgary’s own Geoffrey Simon Brown — where three people played more than 25 different characters due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lynne Shankel, a composer who has worked with Arima, says that even when things get hectic during the rehearsal process, he keeps his cool.
“He is always the calm in the centre of the storm.”
Right now, Arima is directing a new musical in Birmingham, England called Bhangra Nation.
When referencing his overall journey in theatre, Arima tries to live in the world of possibility. However, he says anyone who wants to follow their passion should listen to the advice his favourite singer, Mariah Carey, has to offer: “Make it happen.”