UNS — Teater Oase of Arabic Language and Literature Program Faculty of Cultural Studies (FIB) Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta held a national webinar on “Digital Disruption? Could the Theater World Survive?” held online through the Zoom Cloud Meeting application on Saturday (10/7/2021).
Muhammad Noval Abdul Rozak acted as the moderator in the webinar that invited two speakers, Elyandra Widharta, S.Sn., and Yusuf Haikal, S.S. The first material was delivered by Elyandra Widharta, an arts activist who started his activism during his university years. The alumnus of ISI Yogyakarta discussed in detail how a character in a theater could be formed.
“Theater works could provide an impression for the viewers if supported by the media. Media has a role in shaping a character, motivation of the actors and their individuality, these are vital points,” he explained.
According to Elyandra, in theater performances, there are interactions among actors that are related to life. This process is a guarantee that the theater will have a memorable impression on its viewers. Working culture, collaboration, interest, and talent could be shaped into an impression. Therefore, it needs teamwork, individual training, partnership with the environment, and self-improvement efforts. Elyandra optimistic that the theater world could survive the digital era. “With the shift into the digital era, the theater world is facilitated to be creative,” Elyandra said.
The next material was delivered by Yusuf Haikal, who thinks that digital disruption is an era of great innovation with digital technology that shifted human activities into the digital realm. Yusuf stated that theater amid the digital age could survive because it has human resources with the spirit to fights and adapts to the new era.
Yusuf explained that theater is a cultural product and the culture itself present as immanence and transcendence tensions. Immanence tension occurs when humans live their lives, while transcendence tension is human ability or efforts to live their lives. Through these tensions, a new culture was born, which is different from the previous era. The new era demands humans to create new creativity.
Yusuf added that the old custom of theater that stays in one place, gathering people, and performing outdoor should adapt with the new culture in the new tradition. The limitations placed amid the pandemic require theater to be introduced with the digitalization concept. Digitalization concept directs theater performance to broadcasted performance.
“With various challenges faced by the industry, it will add values in the theater production and performance amid the digital era. Therefore, the theater is not disturbed by the pandemic,” he concluded his material. Humas UNS
Reporter: Zalfaa Azalia Pursita
Editor: Dwi Hastuti