Musical Drama 'Sirena' Involves Persons with Disabilities
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The original Indonesian fantasy musical titled ‘Sirena: Tears from the Ocean’ is set to be held at Balai Saribini, Jakarta, from 9 to 10 October 2026, involving persons with disabilities as musicians.
The wife of the Minister of Social Affairs, Fatma Saifullah Yusuf, stated that the involvement of persons with disabilities in performing arts can open wider access for vulnerable groups to participate in the creative industry.
“I deeply appreciate, am very proud, and very moved when I hear that there are about 7 to 10 children with disabilities playing music,” Fatma said in a written statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.
She expressed hope that such opportunities would continue to expand so that persons with disabilities could perform as both musicians and actors in various works of art.
“We, along with the Dharma Wanita from the ministry, will help facilitate underprivileged children, persons with disabilities, and high-achieving children to be able to watch this musical drama performance,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Director of Shine Era Entertainment, Mikhalouda, said that the involvement of persons with disabilities as musicians is part of the message conveyed through Sirena, which is the importance of mutual support in facing each other’s limitations.
Mikhalouda noted that preparations for the performance have lasted approximately three months with 28 rehearsals. One of the production challenges is that Balai Sarbini is not a venue specifically designed for theatre performances.
This condition, she said, is being addressed by utilising multimedia technology to build the atmosphere of the underwater and land worlds that serve as the setting for the Sirena story.
“If physical props are difficult, we use multimedia. We will transform that fantasy into something very engaging through the multimedia aspect,” she said.
Actress Widi Mulia, who is one of the cast members, said that Sirena carries a message regarding time, family, hope, and the importance of letting go and trusting the process of life.
She hopes the performance can serve as a space for the younger generation to gain artistic experience while developing their imagination.
“Open the widest possible access to experience, to absorb education, to dream, and to imagine,” said Windi.
The ‘Sirena: Tears from the Ocean’ performance also involves the Central Jakarta Culture Sub-agency, the Jakarta Arts Council, and PT MRT Jakarta (Perseroda).
Produced by Shine Era Entertainment, the performance will be held four times over two days with a target of 4,400 spectators, blending music, drama, choreography, artistic design, and multimedia technology.
Shine Era Entertainment hopes the performance will contribute to the development of the Indonesian musical drama industry while opening space for young talent and persons with disabilities within the creative economy ecosystem.