Under the leadership of Artistic Director Molly Smith, Arena Stage has become the largest theater in the country dedicated to American Voices. Founded in 1950 by Zelda Fichandler, Thomas Fichandler and Edward Mangum, Arena Stage was one of the nation’s original resident theaters, and has a distinguished record of leadership and innovation in the field. With the opening of the new Mead Center for American Theater, Arena Stage has become a national center for the production, presentation, development and study of the American theater. Now in its sixth decade, Arena Stage serves a diverse annual audience of nearly 300,000. Washington Drama Society, D.B.A. Arena Stage, is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization.
