Naila Al Atrash, is a Syrian theater director, educator, and human rights activist known for her challenging plays which explore society, economics, and politics. She taught acting at Damascus’ Higher Institute for Music and Theatre (DHIMT), where she also chaired the acting program for many years, and has held visiting appointments at the University of Agder, Norway, the University of Connecticut, and at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, among other institutions. She has directed over forty major productions in the Arab World, Europe, Africa and US, including most recently directing Sultan’s Dilemma, a play by highly regarded Egyptian playwright Tawfiq al-Hakim at The New School.