Burned playhouse artists seek quick employment
Burned playhouse artists seek quick employment
JAKARTA (JP): Miss Tjitjih playhouse artists, who have been
left jobless after fire razed the building Saturday, have called
on the municipality to help them find jobs.
Deploring the fire, they said they had been left unemployed
after most of their belongings and the playhouse, which has been
their livelihood for more than 15 years, were destroyed.
The playhouse's manager, Abas Sudiana, said he was concerned
about the future of the group and their families which included
130 people.
"As the playhouse is under the auspice of the city's cultural
agency, we hope the municipality can provide the group members
with jobs immediately, or let them join the transmigration
program as the last resort," he said.
The building is still standing, but the roof and the interior
were completely destroyed by the fire, which broke out at 9:00
a.m. Saturday.
The cause of the fire, which also destroyed 350 houses on Jl.
Letjen Suprapto, Cempaka Baru, Central Jakarta, is not yet known.
About 500 people, whose homes were ravaged by the fire, spent
last night in makeshift accommodation behind Cempaka Sari Hotel.
Other fire victims stayed at the homes of relatives.
Wawang Sugiarti, one of the group's actresses, said: "Don't
let the group dissolve with the debris of the building."
She hoped the building would be repaired soon so productions
could recommence. The Miss Tjitjih building was constructed by
the city administration in 1987.
Abas said if the building was not repaired soon, and if the
artists could not find work, they would consider setting up a
traveling troupe.
He said an actor is usually paid between Rp 2,000 (US$83
cents) and Rp 7,500 for one play.
According to Abas, damage amounted to Rp 700 million in
material losses, including the building, furniture, actors'
clothes and screens.
The head of the City's Cultural Agency, Azhari Baedlawi, met
the group members soon after the fire was put out at about 1:00
p.m. Saturday. He promised to find another place for the group.
The group was founded in Sukamandi, West Java in 1916 by Habib
Abubakar Bafagih, and was named after Habib's wife, who was then
the prima donna.
The group performed Sundanese folklores Sunday-Thursday, said
Eko Mintarsa, the playhouse playwright.
A communal kitchen has been set up behind the playhouse. The
City's Social Affairs Office, the Indonesian Red Cross and the
public have donated to the fire victims. (03/jun)