Maroun an-Naqqash

Marun Al Naqqash (Arabic: مارون النقاش) (1855–1817) was a Sidon-born Maronite merchant. In 1848, he produced the first known theatre performance in the Arabic language.

Early life and education Al Naqqash was born in Sidon on 9 February 1817 into a Maronite family. In 1825 his family moved to Beirut, where he studied Arabic language and literature in addition to law and foreign languages, including French, Italian and Turkish. and in verse, which allowed for musical elements. The Ottoman Sultan Abdulmejid was praised in the play.

Al Naqqash established a theatre for the performance of his plays near his Beirut home, following a permission from the Ottoman authorities. He also produced two original plays: The first one was Abu Al Hasan al-Mughaffal aw Harun Al Rashid (Abu Al Hasan the Gullible or the Caliph Harun Al Rashid). This was based on an adaptation of characters of the One Thousand and One Nights and performed at his theatre in 1850.

Marun Al Naqqash went to Tarsus in 1854 for business, where he died of fever on 1 June 1855 at age 38.