Indonesia Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations

Review: EKI Dance Company’s Lutung Kasarung Re-Run is A Show Full of Laughs
by Rakaputra Paputungan - July 07, 2025

What happens when you mix a classic Sundanese folklore with the energy of a comedy musical? You get Lutung Kasarung Re-Run—a vibrant, laugh-out-loud experience by EKI Dance Company that proves cerita rakyat can absolutely shine on stage and make you snort-laugh in your seat....

Review: Prose of the Old Days in “Tunggulah Aku di Gunung Parang”
by Rakaputra Paputungan - June 30, 2025

On May 15th 2025 at Galeri Indonesia Kaya, the non-profit foundation Ngajagi Kreasi Nusantara brought their debut performance onto the stage in collaboration with Teaterindo....

Review: MUSIKAL UNTUK PEREMPUAN – What Does It Mean To Be A Woman?
by Rakaputra Paputungan - May 22, 2025

Taking place at Teater Salihara on 26-27 April 2025, Askara’s Musikal Untuk Perempuan is a moving show that’s deeply rooted in a feminist spirit. It unfolds various stories, starting from lighthearted scenes of girlhood into complex adult realities: the societal pressure to marry, body shaming, work...

Review: CBHS’s TARIAKAN Dances to the Beats of Revolution
by Rakaputra Paputungan - May 12, 2025

On May 1-3, the performing arts community Cerita Beda Hak Sama (CBHS) staged their latest dance musical at Graha Bhakti Budaya. Tariakan: Gerakan Suara Persatuan is the second entry in the series, following the first installment in 2023 simply called Tariakan....

A Fun Delight: A Review of PERKAWINAN
by Rakaputra Paputungan - May 06, 2025

The musical Perkawinan by Indonesian Musical Company’s Winter Class was staged on 22 March 2025 at Gedung Kesenian Miss Tjitjih, Jakarta. The production team presented two performances on the same day, with two different sets of cast. The team from BroadwayWorld Indonesia had the opportunity to atte...

Review: Censtacom’s Sister Act is Godly, Groovy, and Glorious
by Rakaputra Paputungan - April 10, 2025

What did our critic think of SISTER ACT at Center Stage Community? On March 14 and 15, Center Stage Community (Censtacom) staged their latest production, Sister Act, at Graha Bhakti Budaya in Jakarta....

Review: A Taste of Nostalgia and Community in Kaneko Mama and the Jolly Folks
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 18, 2025

On February 22 and 23, the Japanese theater group Shindora returned to the stage with their latest musical, Kaneko Mama and the Jolly Folks at Teater Kecil, Taman Ismail Marzuki. This original musical is set in Japan at the end of the Showa era (late 1980s), bringing with it a unique retro charm and...

Review: Indonesian Musical Company’s Legacy Tells a Passionate 25-Years-Long Tale
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 16, 2025

What did our critic think of LEGACY at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta?...

Review: Kapan Nikah? is A Celebration and Condemnation of Marriage Culture
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 13, 2025

The musical community Jaksical held their latest production, Kapan Nikah? (“When Are You Getting Married?”) on February 21-23 2025 at Teater Salihara. This is the second installment in the ‘Kapan?’ series, which started with Kapan Resign? (“When Are You Resigning?”) in 2023....

Review: Expression of Love and Grief through Music in CHIISANA AI NO UTA
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 09, 2025

What did our critic think of CHIISANA AI NO UTA at Bungaku Universitas Kristen Maranatha?...

Review: ArtSwara’s MAR: A Delightful Love Story Inspired by Ismail Marzuki
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 09, 2025

What did our critic think of MAR at ArtSwara?...

Review: Global Sevilla Pulo Mas’s Lutung Kasarung is Brimming with Youthful Energy and Talent
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 07, 2025

On February 21, 2025, Global Sevilla Pulo Mas put on a production of Lutung Kasarung: The Warrior’s Heart. This musical production is an adaptation of the Sundanese legend Lutung Kasarung. Banyu headed the show as its director, scriptwriter, and songwriter. He collaborated with Nindya Tri Harbanu an...

Review: Yasmara & OMG Entertainment’s Grease: An Old Classic Comes to Jakarta
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 03, 2025

Grease was first staged in 1971, with music, lyrics, and a book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. It had its debut on Broadway in 1972 until it was eventually adapted into a movie starring John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John in 1978. This play and its consequent movie were a cultural icon, with songs t...

Review: MIRAH: A Vibrant Celebration of Betawi Culture Through Musical Theater
by Rakaputra Paputungan - March 02, 2025

The musical Mirah was staged on 22-23 February 2025, at Teater Besar Taman Ismail Marzuki in Jakarta. The production house presented four performances, featuring two different pairs of main leads, with each duo performing twice. This show was produced by Ir. Dery Syrna, directed by Rudolf Puspa and ...

Review: Global Jaya's Mary Poppins Jr. is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
by Rakaputra Paputungan - February 25, 2025

On February 14 and 15, 2025, the private school Global Jaya staged a production of Mary Poppins Jr. at their theater. This show was directed by teacher Mutiara Fallahdani and featured a cast of the school’s students from elementary through high school. The Broadwayworld Indonesia team was invited to...

Review: Pranalika Makes Their Soulful Debut with Footlights and Friendships
by Rakaputra Paputungan - February 19, 2025

A newcomer has arrived to the Jakarta performing arts scene. Founded by artist Kezia Haniel and bearing the name of Pranalika – meaning system or connection in Sanskrit – they offer a consulting and production service for all things performing arts. And, appropriately enough for an artistic enterpri...

Review: A Delectable and Delightful Dinner and a Show at The Musical Platter
by Rakaputra Paputungan - February 16, 2025

What did our critic think of THE MUSICAL PLATTER at Chega Entertainment?...

Review: The Rocky Yet Enduring Journey of Salindia's Trem Bernama Desire
by Rakaputra Paputungan - February 12, 2025

What did our critic think of TREM BERNAMA DESIRE at GRAHA BHAKTI BUDAYA?...

Review: ARAH PULANG: a Heartwarming, Contemporary Christmas Tale
by Rakaputra Paputungan - February 04, 2025

What did our critic think of OMK SANMARE'S ARAH PULANG IS A HEARTWARMING AND CONTEMPORARY CHRISTMAS STORY at OMK Santa Maria Regina?...

Review: A-Class Act in Teater Pandora’s Constellations
by Rakaputra Paputungan - January 09, 2025

I had my first experience of watching Nick Payne’s Constellations on the National Theatre website. The production I watched was produced by DONMAR, directed by Michael Longhurst, and performed by Peter Capaldi and Zoë Wanamaker. Although the stage was empty, the use of colour and empty space enhance...

Review: The Explosive Duality of Double-Casting in Jakarta Art House's Catch Me If You Can
by Rakaputra Paputungan - December 24, 2024

Just recently, Jakarta Art House hosted its latest stage production, Catch Me If You Can the Musical. This was an adaptation of the 2002 movie of the same name starring Leonardo DiCaprio, following the same storyline: the alleged true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a convicted felon who committed plen...

Review: MUSIKAL DANGDUT: KUKEJAR KAU SAYANG is a Jubilant Union of Dangdut and Musical Theater
by Rakaputra Paputungan - December 11, 2024

When it was first announced back in May, Musikal Dangdut: Kukejar Kau Sayang (lit. Dangdut Musical: I’ll Chase You My Love) made waves throughout the Indonesian musical theater community. It was a provocative, intriguing proposition: dangdut AND musical theater? It’s unheard of....

Review: The Political Epic POLARISASI Returns with Renewed Artistic Direction
by Rakaputra Paputungan - December 06, 2024

Polarisasi – the original musical about Indonesian politics by Da Lopez Brothers – returned to the stage of Graha Bhakti Budaya on October 10-13, following its initial run in February. This rerun (also called Leg 2) brought new direction, new artistic design, and few new cast members, while telling ...

Review: Idealita Analogi Elegi Brings Relatable Story, Jazzy Score, and Compelling Direction
by Rakaputra Paputungan - October 15, 2024

On Sunday, October 12, the musical theater community Svatuhari put on their 13th production: Idealita Analogi Elegi at Teater Salihara. This show is a retooling of Idealita, which ran in June of 2023. The musical still observes the power of idealism and reality set in a contemporary setting, but is ...

Review: Cantalevia's DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' Brings Spectacular Nostal-glee-a
by Rakaputra Paputungan - October 11, 2024

On October 4 and 5, 2024, the community choir Cantalevia staged Don’t Stop Believin’: A Tribute to Glee Concert at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta. As the title suggests, the concert presentation is a tribute to the modern classic American TV show that ran from 2009 to 2015 and introduced a lot of Indonesia...