The titular character—a World War I veteran suffering from shell shock and amnesia—is at the heart of Unknown Soldier coming to Arena Stage this spring. Following its 2015 world premiere at Williamstown Theatre Festival and a 2020 off-Broadway run, the musical, written by Daniel Goldstein and Michael Friedman, will once again be directed by Trip Cullman, who directed the two previous productions. Kerstin Anderson (Broadway’s My Fair Lady) and Perry Sherman (Broadway’s Fun Home) reprise their roles from the production’s off-Broadway run. “It is such a joy to be able to support Unknown Soldier,” Arena’s artistic director Hana S. Sharif says via email. “We are so thankful to Danny Goldstein and Trip Cullman for bringing this show they developed with the late Michael Friedman to D.C. audiences. It has been a true labor of love for them.” The story is all about love, family, memory, meaning, and how we try (and often fail) to truly understand one another. Ellen returns to her childhood home after the death of the distant grandmother who raised her, and with the help of a local librarian tries to uncover the mysterious past of her grandmother and the Unknown Soldier discovered in a photo album. A captivating family mystery full of secrets and discoveries, the musical moves back and forth between different time periods as the truth emerges from the archives, and Ellen learns more about herself and her family’s past. Daniel Goldstein and Michael Friedman’s Unknown Soldier, directed by Trip Cullman, opens March 29 and runs through May 5 at Arena Stage. arenastage.org. $56–$95. —Colleen Kennedy