Molly Smith is an American theatre director and the artistic director of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.. She was formerly artistic director of the Perseverance Theatre in Juneau, Alaska which she founded in 1979 and led until 1998.In 1998, Smith became Artistic Director of Arena Stage. Interested in encouraging new American plays, she founded Arena's "downstairs series," which has held readings and workshopped some sixty plays, many of which have gone on to full productions.