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American plays are our foundation and inspiration.

The core purpose of Arena Stage
is to produce huge plays of all that is passionate, exuberant, profound, deep and dangerous in the American spirit. Arena has broad shoulders and a capacity to produce anything from vast epics to charged dramas to robust musicals. Our focus is on theater of the Americas; we produce American classics, premieres of new plays and contemporary stories. Our Arena is a forum, a coliseum, a place for audiences to argue, discuss and meet each other over the theatrical divide. At the center is art; all other programs thrive in concentric circles supporting the art.

We live by a set of core values which are tested every day.

Arena Stage:

• Is relentless in our pursuit of excellence as a leader in the field
• Flourishes by building a dynamic and powerful artistic community
• Champions diversity throughout the organization and in the community
• Strives to instill in the public a life-long love of and participation in the theater arts through our education programs
• Cultivates an engaged, diverse and responsive audience