The Sangkala Nyimas Gandasari musical drama blends traditional elements, dance, music and cinematic visuals
Enjoy a Broadway-style musical without leaving Indonesia, as the Sangkala Nyimas Gandasari musical will be staged at Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Jakarta, on 14 June 2026. The production is notable for blending a classic story with contemporary touches in a grand, emotional, and meaningful performance, featuring a fusion of traditional elements, dance, music, and cinematic visuals.
It is produced by Yayasan Prima Ardian Tana. The production is directed by Denny Malik with musical arrangement by Marthin Tupanno. The musical narrates the story of a female hero from Cirebon, West Java, who in the Chronicles of Cirebon is regarded as an important figure in spreading Islam along the northern coast of Java around the 15th century. She played a major role in the overall history of the Cirebon Sultanate, particularly during the era of Sunan Gunung Jati.
Founder Hj Nani Yurniati Taufik said that choosing to lift a regional story into a classy production aims to invite Indonesian youth to love and value their own national culture.
Executive Producer Reni A Daniel said the musical Nyi Mas Gandasari seeks to highlight the heroic tale of a woman from Cirebon through an educational, entertaining, and cross-generational performance.
“Although it draws on a traditional story, the Nyi Mas Gandasari musical blends dance, music, costumes, and stage design presented in a modern way. This is an effort to preserve Sunda culture while introducing it to younger generations. They must know that Indonesian culture and arts are not inferior to foreign products,” she said while inspecting rehearsal sessions.
Some of the cast include Asri Welas as Putri Ong Tien and Dewi Gita as Ibu Dayang. Others include Aisyah Fadhila as Nyi Mas Gandasari, Aldafi Adnan as Syech Magelung Sakti, Daniel Christianto as Sunan Gunung Jati, Belmiro Allie as Pangeran Cakrabuana, and Bima Zeno as Prabu Cakra Ningrat.
During the event, Asri Welas said she enjoyed the new experience of performing as a singer in Sangkala Nyimas Gandasari.
To prepare, she must maintain her physical condition and vocal quality. She started adjusting her diet to perform at her best on stage: “One of them is I don’t eat fried foods. Moreover, the director asked for a distinctive voice with a slight nasal tone for the role,” she said.
She hopes the theatre industry receives greater support from the government as the development of Indonesia’s musical industry is advancing and has its own loyal audience.
Meanwhile, director Denny Malik invites Indonesians, especially the youth, to watch the show. “There are many moral values embedded in this musical, such as humility, religious values like the origins of Islam in Indonesia, governance values, and of course the value of history and local culture that needs to be preserved,” he said.
Performances will be staged twice, at 15:30-17:30 WIB and 19:30-21:30 WIB. Tickets can be reserved via detik.event, with prices ranging from Rp200,000 to Rp700,000.