BWW Previews: TEMAN Journeys Into The Indonesian Theatre Scene with INTO THE WOODS

Teater Musikal Nusantara (TEMAN), a musical theatre company based in Jakarta, will produce their first show, Stephen Sondheim's fairytale musical INTO THE WOODS. The production will run for three shows on two days from December 22nd to December 23rd 2018 and will take place at Teater Salihara, Jakarta. This production is licensed through Musical Theatre International and produced in association with Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture and the Indonesian Agency for Creative Economy.

INTO THE WOODS will be directed by Benjamin Chow, an alumnus of LASALLE College, Singapore. This production will involve both local and international talents, some of which were found through an open casting call held last October. Headliners include Indonesian actresses Lea Simanjuntak (Musikal Laskar Pelangi) and Andrea Miranda (Onrop! Musikal, Ainun) as well as Singaporean Sugie Phua (Monkey Goes West) and Life Theatre Awards nominee Frances Lee (Beauty World).

At the press conference held on November 23rd, producer Chriskevin Adefrid cited two main reasons behind the decision to pick INTO THE WOODS as TEMAN's inaugural show. First was the enduring popularity of the musical, which has won multiple theatrical awards during its lifetime, as well as earning a film adaptation in 2014 starring Meryl Streep. The second reason was the exciting theatrical challenges in performing the show and conveying its themes, which encouraged the production team to explore different artistic approaches.

Adefrid believes the show will resonate with Indonesian audience, who are no strangers to the rich heritage of local folktales, similar to the intertwining fairytales of INTO THE WOODS. The show's artistic director, Venytha Yoshiantini, adds that the stage and costume designs will include elements inspired from Indonesian culture to further set it apart as a uniquely Indonesian production.

Meanwhile, director Benjamin Chow stated that the foremost challenge in directing the show is to bring together each cast into one well rounded company; the cast include experienced actors who might not have extensive singing experience in musical theatre, and vice versa. However, he is inspired by the spirit the Indonesian cast bring to the production, believing it will help this production find its identity.

Fellow LASALLE alumnus Ivan Tangkulung will serve as the music director for the show, which will feature live musicians playing the original arrangement. Tangkulung is eager to undertake the challenges of performing Sondheim music, famous for both its beauty and complexity. He also confides that even the placement of the musicians in the venue space - a black box theatre - needs thoughtful consideration in how they would interact with the rest of the staging direction.

With all the creative minds behind the production, TEMAN promises a fresh take on INTO THE WOODS. By choosing a black box theatre instead of a more traditional proscenium used in most Indonesian Broadway musical productions, this production will invite the audience into becoming a part of the experience. Chow and Yoshiantini's direction will engage the audience's imagination and bring them into the woods

By bringing together a world-renowned musical and a passionate team, TEMAN seeks to prove that Indonesia can be a noteworthy player in the world of international theatre. On the other hand, TEMAN also pursues to boost the performing arts' contribution to the ever-growing Indonesian creative industry.

Regarding the message TEMAN wants to deliver with the production, Chow admits that there are multiple themes and messages already intrinsic to INTO THE WOODS. But the message he personally desires to convey is the idea that stories matter - the stories that one tells to oneself and to others. And TEMAN's story will begin with INTO THE WOODS this December, and, hopefully, the way is clear and the light is good.

For further information, you can follow TEMAN's Instagram @teman.musicals. Tickets are available for purchase at bit.ly/ITW-ticket with the Early Bird promotion available up until December 2nd.

(Photo credits: Teater Musikal Nusantara.)

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