To welcome the coming of Muslim’s new year, Muharram 1st, 1431 Hijriah, PT Semen Gresik Tbk (Persero) is planning to hold the performance of Ketoprak Siswo Budoyo (traditional stage play) from Tulungagung on December 18th, 2009. The Muslim’s new year celebration will also be livened up by the performances of Yati Pesek and Friends, a comedy group.
According to Bagus Wijoyo, acting as the Event Coordinator, the invited teams will do all they can to present their best shows to liven up the celebration by involving 130 stage players who will perform from 10 PM to 2 AM.
To celebrate the Muslim new year’s eve, Ketoprak Siswo Budoyo will choose the theme “Arya Penagsang”. The story will start from the meeting of all Sunan (respected Muslim leaders who devoted themselves to disseminate Islam in Java) led by Sunan Giri. The purpose of the meeting was to give advice and direction to the King of Pajang, Sultan Hadi Wijoyo, Arya Penangsang Jipang, and the Queen of Jepara, Ratu Kali Nyamat.
The advice delivered Sunan Giri was “Wing becik ketitik, wong olo wahyahe bakal siro (good people will be virtually recognized, bad people will be gone). Nevertheless, Aryo Penangsang could not accept the advice and claimed for the responsibility of his father’s death, Pangeran Wiyoto, said Bagus who was accompanied by Sugiono, Person in Charge of the program. The stage performance of Ketoprak Siswo Budoyo will be held in the yard of A Yani multi-function hall of PT Semen Gresik.
The Solid Team of Siswo Budoyo’s Stage Players
Ketoprak Siswo Budoyo, The oldest and most famous group from Tulungagung, will perform their best show on the front yard of A Yani multi-function hall of PT Semen Gresik Friday evening, December 18th, 2009. To perform the most sacred title of stage play, Aryo Penangsang, The team will involve 125 players, including the mascots of the group; Topan, Yati Pesek, Proborini and Marwoto.
Three of the above group mascots have become national celebrities. They are Topan, Yati Pesek and Marwoto. Even, Yati Pesek and Marwoto are currently playing a comedy television show entitled ‘Suami-suami Takut Istri’ (Husbands who are afraid of their wives).
Head of Information and Communication Division of PT Semen Gresik (Persero) Tbk, Syaifuddin Zuhri stated that the stage performance would be held to celebrate the first of Muharram, Muslim’s new year. “Everybody can come to enjoy the show; it’s free of charge,” he said.
We decide to choose Ketoprak Siswo Budoyo since the group has not only been nationally famous, but also established a number of small teams which are ready to play in 12 different cities across Java and Kalimantan. “We are hopefully able to re-build the strength of Javanese cultures, which, in the previous time, were well-known and admired by our society,” Zuhri said.
To make them play together on one stage like what we will have, Zuhri added, his staff will have to pick up the players in many different cities. “They admit that all of them feel emotionally touched since they have never played together on one moment for a long time,” Zuhri said.