Jakarta, 4 April, 2026 – The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy / Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency (Ekraf), Irene Umar, attended the musical theater performance “Musikal Pasar Dangdoet: SEMESTA Berdendang,” staged by students of Universitas Prasetiya Mulya at Teater Jakarta, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, on Saturday (April 4).
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, attended the musical theater performance “Musikal Pasar Dangdoet: SEMESTA Berdendang,” staged by students of Universitas Prasetiya Mulya at Teater Jakarta, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, on Saturday (April 4, 2026).
The performance, themed “Diverse Artistry: The SEMESTA Glitz,” portrays the lives of traditional market communities amid the dynamics of a modern city. The character Adeng is depicted as a young man aspiring to become an actor and comedian, yet confronted with his family’s expectations to continue the family business. Through songs, humor, and everyday conflicts, the performance captures the struggles of grassroots communities in balancing life realities and aspirations.
The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Irene Umar, expressed appreciation for the courage of Universitas Prasetiya Mulya students in presenting dangdut music as a narrative strength as well as a cultural identity within a modern musical theater format.
“Think about how you can develop the musical theater industry in Indonesia. You have abundant talent here. This performance demonstrates that through cross-sector collaboration, it is possible to create a work that we will collectively preserve, and I am confident the results will be outstanding. Therefore, you have one task—to think about this,” said the Deputy Minister.
She added that works such as Semesta Berdendang should continue to be encouraged as part of strengthening the national creative economy ecosystem, particularly in the performing arts and music subsectors.
“I want all of you to create these opportunities starting from your time in university. What happens today is not merely driven by capital, but also by perseverance. This young generation is no longer thinking only about business or economics, but about how creativity can become an engine of growth,” she added.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
SEMESTA, an acronym for Semangat Seni Prasetiya Mulya, is a student musical theater organization focused on developing performing arts rooted in Indonesian culture. This initiative reflects the university’s effort to foster young people’s interest in the richness of national arts and culture through a medium aligned with the development of today’s creative industry.
The Rector of Universitas Prasetiya Mulya, Hassan Wirajuda, stated that creativity cultivated through such activities serves as a foundation for innovation across various fields, from cultural and media industries to the knowledge-based economy.
“This activity is not merely an artistic expression, but also an integral part of the learning ecosystem at this institution. Furthermore, we see an increasingly strong connection between the world of education and the creative economy sector. Therefore, Universitas Prasetiya Mulya will continue to encourage spaces for expression and collaboration,” he explained.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency.
The performance, staged by students of Universitas Prasetiya Mulya and directed by Andibachtiar Yusuf and Dadang Badoet, presented a dynamic collaboration of performing arts that combines music, comedy, and social narratives on a single stage.
The Ministry of Creative Economy views works such as this as a concrete example of how the younger generation can transform local cultural richness into creative products with economic value while strengthening national identity. The Deputy Minister was accompanied by the Director of Fine Arts and Performing Arts, Dadam Mahdar.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
