Monday, June 29, 2026
Arena Stage Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif resigned on June 26, opening night of the theater’s world-premiere production of “CrazySexyCool: The TLC Musical.” Effective tomorrow, June 30, Sharif’s decision was reported on Friday evening by the New York Times’ Michael Paulson.
A pioneer of the regional theater movement, Arena Stage, founded in 1950, was the first racially integrated theater in Washington, D.C.
The first Black woman to lead a major regional theater, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Sharif became Arena’s fourth artistic director in the fall of 2023. Her predecessors were co-founder Zelda Fichandler, who served as producing director for 41 years; Douglas Wager, artistic director from 1991 to 1998, following many seasons as resident director and producer; and Molly Smith, artistic director for 25 years.
“Ultimately,” wrote Sharif, “the Board and I arrived at a crossroads — one defined not by a lack of shared love for this institution, but by differing visions for how Arena Stage should meet the future: what art belongs at its center, how its teams should be built and empowered to evolve and what a sustainable path forward truly requires.”
Her resignation letter, addressed to the board of trustees and published in full by DC Theater Arts, went on to cite the theater’s accomplishments during her tenure, including “9 world premieres, 8 second step productions … and 62 bold activations serving 274,627 patrons.” She appeared especially proud of the theater’s audience-building success, noting that the Arena Stage “community now includes 55,691 New-to-File households and a total of 344,765 patrons, representing 68% of our audience over the last three years.”
Speaking at The Georgetowner’s March 2024 Cultural Leadership Breakfast, Sharif said she would be “revolutionizing our community engagement,” stating: “We’re hoping to meet all of D.C. where they live.”
Based at the Mead Center for American Theater in Southwest D.C., an expanded facility with three stages that opened in 2010, Arena recently announced a two-part 2026-27 season.
The first part begins in September with the world premiere of “The Fruits of Our Labor” by Step Afrika! and continues with “Nikola,” a new musical about inventor Nikola Tesla, Suzie Miller’s “Prima Facie,” Branden Jacob-Jenkins’s “Purpose” and (a subscription add-on) Step Afrika!’s “Magical Musical Holiday Step Show.”
As for the season’s second part, the Arena website reads: “Two dynamic musicals and a brand-new play are in the works for spring/summer 2027. The titles of the ACT II line-up will stay under wraps until our reveal this fall — trust us, you’ll want to be first in line.”
In a statement released on June 27, the theater explained how it would handle the transition: “This fall, the Board of Trustees will begin planning for an Artistic Director search as part of a larger strategic planning process. Arena Stage will continue to be led by Edgar Dobie, President and Executive Producer, who joined Arena Stage in 2009, and a first-class senior management team. Arena Stage will move forward with Act I of the planned 2026/27 Season and will engage an artistic advisor to work with Dobie and the artistic team on season planning for Act II and the following season.”