Panji and the Lost Princess
Balinese Wayang Listrik (giant shadow puppets in combination with live action and gamelan orchestra)
Adapted from a traditional Balinese folktale by Ketut Wirtawan and Madé Moja
Co-Directed by Kirstin Pauka and I Madé Moja
April 17-26, 2026
Kennedy Theatre Main Stage, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Panji and the Lost Princess is a large-scale Balinese shadow puppetry performance in the tradition of wayang listrik. The story is based on the Balinese interpretation of a traditional Javanese story, and adapted to the genre of wayang listrik by Balinese master artists I Ketut Wirtawan and I Madé Moja. The show is dynamically staged with giant shadow puppetry, actors, dancers, special lighting effects, and is accompanied by a live gamelan ensemble, led by master musician I Madé Widana. The style of the production, wayang listrik (Indonesian for “electric shadows”), is a recent development in Balinese shadow puppetry that emerged in the late 1990s.
What distinguishes this art form from others is the inclusion of giant screens, paintings, complex lighting, 3-dimensional effects, and dancers, as well as actors behind the screen, wearing shadow masks carved in a similar manner as traditional kulit (“leather”) puppets. Moja has staged two previous wayang listrik productions at Kennedy Theatre: Subali-Sugriwa – Battle of the Monkey Kings and The Last King of Bali. We are thrilled that he will return this season to serve as the master designer and co-director of this production.
Educators interested in School Show Performance dates and costs please complete this form or contact ktbox@hawaii.edu for more information.
Panji and the Lost Princess Blog
Designing Wayang Listrik Masks
A prominent feature of our production of Panji and the Lost Princess is the use of 3D shadow masks, which allow a performer to create movement of the head without turning the body. In traditional wayang kulit, the entire puppet turns if a character needs to look back, for example. 3D shadow masks were created by Larry Reed, a prominent and award-winning theatre artist, in collaboration with I Madé Sidia, a famous Balinese shadow puppeteer (dhalang). In performance,…
Panji Rehearsals Begin on Kennedy Theatre’s Mainstage
Training in shadow-casting and puppetry technique started on December 1, 2025 in Kennedy Theatre at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. During the first week of December, all student performers were called on the theatre’s mainstage to observe and learn some foundational techniques on handling the puppets and shadow scenery slides, navigating distances and angles from the five lighting sources currently used, and utilizing perspective in shadow story-telling. Significant for the upcoming production of Panji and the Lost…
Costumes for Panji and the Lost Princess
Panji and the Lost Princess features a variety of dance and live action, both in front of the projection screen and shadow-cast on it, accompanied by gamelan music. In Balinese wayang listrik, actor-dancers, ceremonial dancers (rarejangan), and gamelan musicians wear traditional costumes, stunning pieces of art which would help transport the audience into the Kingdom of Kahoripan, Raden Ino Kertapati’s (Prince Panji) domain, and the courts of Langke Sari, Panji’s fiancee, and the villain King Terate Bang. Combined…
The Cast of “Panji and the Lost Princess” Announced
Co-Directed by Kirstin Pauka and I Madé Moja have announced the cast of Panji and the Lost Princess after call-backs held on October 24, 2025. Gamelan and dance rehearsals started on November 4 and November 6, respectively, after an all-cast meeting was held on November 3. This first all-cast meeting provided an opportunity for performers and musicians to get together and meet the artistic team, and discuss the structure of the rehearsal process this fall and during the…
Successful Panji Auditions Held
On October 15 and October 16, 2025 we held auditions for the upcoming production of Panji and the Lost Princess at Studio S of Kennedy Theatre. This is a large-scale Balinese shadow puppetry performance in the tradition of wayang listrik: it features giant shadow puppets in combination with live action and gamelan orchestra. Co-Directed by Kirstin Pauka and I Madé Moja, Panji and the Lost Princess is scheduled to open on April 17, 2026 on Kennedy Theatre’s Mainstage.…
Balinese Wayang Listrik at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 