City govt to rebuild Miss Tjitjih playhouse

JAKARTA (JP): The Miss Tjitjih playhouse, which was destroyed by fire in April, will soon be rebuilt with funds from the Jakarta administration and a community of West Javanese living here.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja said yesterday that the plan to rebuild the playhouse, once a symbol of ethnic Sundanese theater extravaganza, demonstrated the need to preserve local culture.

"The playhouse will be built better than the former building," Surjadi said.

He said the playhouse would be of Indonesian architecture and design and would be of modern standards.

He declined to say how much the project would cost.

According to Deputy Governor of Economic and Development Affairs Tb.M. Rais, the administration was still discussing the new playhouse's design.

"We expect the discussion to be finalized this month and construction started next year," he said.

The playhouse, one of the few specializing in Sudanese drama, opened in 1930. It moved several times, the last being in 1987 when it moved from an old building in Angke, West Jakarta.

The playhouse in Cempaka Baru district in Central Jakarta was burned down along with 350 houses in April.

Losses of the playhouse fire were estimated at Rp 700 million (US$237,290), including the cost of the building, furniture, stage clothes and screens.

Since the fire, some actors of the playhouse have performed in events based on invitation, said Surjadi.

"I heard that their current performance still attracts many people," he said. (ste)