Three Verses of Solitude

Zoukak, founded in 2006 in Beirut, is a theatre collective dedicated to collaborative creation and theatre as a tool of reflection, resistance, and social engagement, formed by Maya Zbib, Lamia Abi Azar, Junaid Sarieddeen, Omar Abi Azar, Mohamad Hamdan. Their performances explore themes of power, memory, and marginalization, presented internationally at venues including The New York Public Library (NYC), The Royal Court Theatre (London), The Biennale Archipelago Mediterraneo (Palermo), Festival International des Arts de Bordeaux (Bordeaux), Santiago a Mil Festival (Santiago), La Mama Theatre (NYC), and Spoleto Festival USA (Charleston), among others. Zoukak has received prestigious awards such as the Ibsen Scholarship (2012), Anna Lindh Foundation Award (2014), Praemium Imperiale Grant (2017), Chirac Foundation Award (2017), and Ellen Stewart International Award (2018), while fostering local artistic development through residencies, training, and Zoukak Sidewalks Festival. Maya Zbib, Lee Serle, and Ben Frost first met in 2010 as fellows of The Rolex mentoring programme. Maya Zbib is a Lebanese theatre director, performer, writer, and trainer. She is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Zoukak Theatre (2006) and Sidewalks Festival (2013). Her recent work includes co-directing Ruinous Gods, a new opera that premiered at Spoleto Festival USA (2024). She received Special Recognition from the Gilder/Coigney International Theatre Award, was the protégée of Peter Sellars in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, and delivered the 2018 World Theatre Day message at UNESCO, Paris. Lee Serle is an Australian choreographer and performer and has presented his work to critical acclaim worldwide, commissioned by the Trisha Brown Dance Company, Lyon Opera Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, Lucy Guerin Inc., among many others. Lee was the recipient of several fellowships, most notably The Rolex mentoring programme, mentored by the late Trisha Brown. Ben Frost is a composer, sound artist, and stage director born in Melbourne, Australia. His work spans studio recordings, live performance, installation, and collaborations across dance, theatre, and film. His acclaimed albums include By The Throat, Aurora, The Centre Cannot Hold, and Scope Neglect. He was Brian Eno’s protégé in The Rolex mentoring programme.