Jakarta, 15 January 2026 – Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, expressed her appreciation for the musical theatre production ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella’ staged at Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM). The Deputy Minister noted that the performance produced by Center Stage Community (Censtacom) meets international standards.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar attended the musical theatre performance ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella’ at Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Jakarta, Thursday (15/1/2026).
“I became part of the audience and watched with my heart the results of the long and dedicated training undertaken by these musical theatre practitioners. An international-standard performance supported by young talents clearly shows that the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045 is within reach,” said Deputy Minister Irene Umar after witnessing the spectacular performance on Thursday, 15 January 2026.
Behind the scenes, Censtacom is a Jakarta-based musical theatre community established in 2019 that has produced 20 performances, including Broadway adaptations such as Little Women and Sister Act. The community is committed to inspiring audiences and fostering appreciation for the performing arts subsector that supports the national creative economy.
For the production of ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella’, seven performances are scheduled from 15 to 18 January 2026. The cast and production team underwent an open audition process, allowing creative freedom and production dedication to flourish through a nine-month creative journey.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
Several iconic songs, including ‘In My Own Little Corner’, ‘Ten Minutes Ago’, and ‘Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful?’, were performed with strong choreography and musicality.
“This performance is an extraordinary presentation with global standards. Indonesian musical theatre needs to be widely introduced to the world to show that we have performing arts to be proud of. Use the social media platforms we have to continue supporting them so that more people come to watch,” said Deputy Minister Irene Umar, accompanied by Special Staff to the Minister for Strengthening the Creative Economy Ecosystem and Data, Jago Anggara.
Directed by Josephine Angelica, the performance is a musical adaptation of a classic fairy tale presented through a modern approach while preserving its core moral values. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella conveys messages of courage to dream, resilience in facing limitations, and the meaning of happiness achieved through sincerity.
Doc. Bureau for Communication, Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
“Cinderella is a timeless story, from children to adults. It instills positive values that even things that seem impossible can indeed happen. This world-renowned story is presented again so that audiences of all ages can experience the magic of Cinderella,” explained Bobby Wijaya, Executive Producer.
“Censtacom is a non-profit community, and all those involved are volunteers. We hope the Government continues to support creative community programs so they can reach wider markets. Moreover, young generations with potential and talent can continue to grow within healthy communities filled with positive activities. That is why we also offer musical theatre classes to ensure sustainable regeneration,” added Bobby Wijaya, accompanied by fellow executive producers Jeanne Herlina, Ferry Kusnowo, and Fiona Hadinoto.
Beyond presenting a major stage production, audiences attending Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella were also able to purchase merchandise, enjoy culinary offerings from selected MSMEs, and experience interactive photobooth installations within an engaging venue.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy / Creative Economy Agency
