Nidal Al Achkar
{{Short description|Lebanese actress and theater director}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nidal Al Achkar
| native_name = {{lang|ar|نضال الاشقر}}
| birth_name = Nidal Asad Al Achkar
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1941|10|04}}
| birth_place = Dik El Mehdi, Mount Lebanon Governorate, Lebanon
| occupation = Director. Actress. Founder of Al Madina Theater
| years_active = 1967–present
| spouse = Fouad Naïm
| children = Omar Naïm, and Khaled Naïm
}}
Nidal Al Achkar ({{langx|ar|نضال الأشقر}}; born 4 October 1941) is a Lebanese actress and founder/director of the Al-Madina Theatre in Beirut.
Personal life
Nidal was born in Dik El Mehdi, Matn District in Mount Lebanon Governorate.{{cite web|url=http://almadinatheater.com/about-us|title=The History of Al Madina Theatre (The Founder)|accessdate=April 14, 2021}} She is the daughter of Asad Al Achkar, the Syrian Social Nationalist Party politician. Her younger brother, Ghassan, is also a member of SSNP. She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.[https://mylebanonmyhome.com/nidal-al-achkar-a-woman-of-the-theatre/ Nidal Al Achkar: A Woman of the Theatre], Home Magazine, Issue No. 3, 2018. Accessed 10 March 2020. In 1967 she directed her first play in Beirut, and went on to found the Beirut Theatre Workshop in the late 1960s. Nidal Al Achkar is married to Fouad Naïm and is mother of Omar Naim and Khaled Naïm.
Career
After Nidal graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA), her encounter and training with John Littlewood changed her vision about theatre. She founded “The Beirut Theatre Workshop” in 1968. In 1984, Nidal Al-Achkar established the “Arab Actors” theatre company; it was the first troupe of artist found from 13 different Arab countries.
She is currently the founder chairperson and artistic director of Masrah Al-Madina Cultural and Arts Center. The Center is composed of two performance areas, a training section, an exhibition hall, and a coffee shop. Both Nidal and Masrah Al-Madina aim to continue to promote culture, art, and artists, and through them to inspire change and instill new values.
In a 2019 interview she warned that it was impossible to have theater in the Arab world without "real, transformative revolutions" which would allow freedom of speech and openness.
Achievements
- In 1997, Nidal received the honor of Chevalier De L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.{{cite web|url=http://www.hayfestival.com/artist.aspx?artistid=5623|title=NIDAL AL ASHKAR|publisher=Hay Festival|accessdate=April 14, 2020}}
- In 2012, Nidal received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Murex d'Or. Presenting the award, Lebanese Minister of Culture Gabi Layyoun called her "Lebanon's true expression of enlightenment and culture".[https://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/nidal-al-ashkar-receives-lebanon-culture-award-1.399208 Nidal Al Ashkar receives Lebanon culture award], June 24, 2012. Accessed 10 March 2020.
- Nidal also received high cultural honors from the Tunisian president.
- Nidal was honored with numerous awards and knighthood in Lebanon, most notably, The National Order of the Cedar from the president of the Lebanese Republic (2016), and the Silver Lebanese order of Merit (2019).{{cite web|url=http://www.lebanonfiles.com/articles/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B9-%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%88%D8%AB%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%A9/%D9%88%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%A9-%D9%8A%D9%82%D9%84%D9%91%D8%AF-%D9%86%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B4%D9%82%D8%B1-%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84/|title=وزير الثقافة يقلّد نضال الأشقر وسام الاستحقاق الفضي باسم رئيس الجمهورية|accessdate=April 14, 2021}}
- She was honored by several Lebanese universities like Lebanese American University, and Antonine University. The minister of culture launched the "Nidal Al Achkar Annual Prize" for performing arts in Choueifat theatre 2018.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0015682|name=Nidal Al-Askhar}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Achkar, Nidal}}
Category:Lebanese stage actresses
Category:Lebanese theatre directors