The American University of Beirut (AUB) announced a new theater production: “The Pillars of Society,” Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, in an Arabic-language adaptation directed by Lebanese film and theater director Lucien Bourjeily. This immersive promenade production opened for a limited run, unfolding across multiple locations on the AUB campus.
Performed in Lebanese Arabic with an English synopsis provided, the play follows Karsten Bernick, a celebrated “pillar” of his coastal town whose public standing rests on a carefully concealed truth — a portrait of reputation and conscience that remains strikingly relevant today.
The production brings AUB students together with seasoned theater professionals, including Abdelrahim Al-Awji, Farah Shaer, and Majd Al Masri. It is presented by the university’s Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR), the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), the Department of English, the Theater Initiative, and the THTR 259 “Theater Production” class.
This is the second Ibsen classic to be staged at AUB in immersive promenade form. The first, “An Enemy of the People,” won over audiences and critics in 2023 and returned in 2024 by popular demand.
For the performance schedule and tickets, visit any branch of Antoine Bookstore or the Antoine Ticketing website.
As a promenade production, the performance involves walking, standing, and moving between locations across campus; attendees are advised to wear comfortable shoes.
For inquiries regarding attendance and limited mobility concerns, email [email protected].
About AUB
Founded in 1866, the American University of Beirut bases its educational philosophy, standards, and practices on the American liberal arts model of higher education. A teaching-centered research university, AUB has more than 790 full-time faculty members and a student body of over 9000 students. AUB currently offers more than 140 programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s, MD, and PhD degrees. It provides medical education and training to students from throughout the region at its Medical Center that includes a full-service 365-bed hospital.
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