The Paper Boat Musical Ready to Set Sail on Stage Early 2026

Kapanlagi.com - The musical drama Paper Boat officially takes to the theater stage and is ready to greet the audience in Jakarta in early 2026. This performance is the latest adaptation of the legendary novel by Dewi Lestari that has long been associated with stories of dreams, self-discovery, and slowly growing love.

This production is presented through a collaboration between Trinity Entertainment Network, Trinity Youth Symphony Orchestra (TRUST), and Indonesia Kaya. This performance also marks the debut of Trinity Entertainment Network in the realm of musical theater, a new step after being long involved in the music industry in the country.

The Paper Boat musical will be staged from January 30 to February 15, 2026, at Ciputra Artpreneur, Jakarta. A total of 21 performances are designed as a long series of shows, not just a seasonal offering. This concept is expected to help build a habit of watching performing arts among urban communities.

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1. Paper Boat Becomes a Musical Is Not an Instant Decision

Widya Arifianti, the scriptwriter of the musical Paper Boat © KapanLagi.com/Mathias Purwanto

As a producer, Billy Gamaliel assesses that the selection of Paper Boat is not an instant decision. This intellectual property is considered to have a strong fan base and is relevant to the current market. He emphasizes that the novel is very likely to be adapted into a musical stage production.

"If we want to create a long run in the current market, we have to be brave enough to try with big IPs first, like Paper Boat. In terms of story, the novel is also very applicable to be adapted to the stage," said Billy Gamaliel during his visit to the KLY Youniverse Office, Central Jakarta, Friday (19/12/2025).

2. The Challenges of the Paper Boat Musical

Billy Gamaliel, musical producer of Paper Boat © KapanLagi.com/Mathias Purwanto

The process of creating this musical is not a short one. Billy mentions that initial discussions have been ongoing since mid-2024 and entered the team formation phase at the end of the same year. December 2025 marks a full year of production journey until it is finally ready to be showcased.

On the creative side, the script is written by Widya Arifianti, who must maintain the "soul" of the story to remain faithful to the original source. Her biggest challenge is to translate a narrative-rich novel into a musical form driven by song and emotion.

"The challenge is that this novel is very text-heavy, while musicals are driven by music," said Widya Arifianti.

3. The Song of Paper Boat Still Exists

From a musical perspective, this performance retains the iconic songs from Paper Boat. However, the approach used is not merely a re-presentation, but rather processes motifs and melodies to blend with new compositions throughout the performance.

"The songs 'Paper Boat' and 'Know Yourself' are still there, but their motifs are borrowed for other songs," said Billy Gamaliel.

In terms of storytelling, the audience will once again follow the journey of Kugy and Keenan, two young individuals with the same artistic blood who struggle to find their inner voice. Their story about dreams, family, and the courage to be honest with oneself becomes a relevant thread across generations.

The musical Paper Boat is expected to not only be a nostalgic spectacle but also a space for reflection on how dreams can continue to live, even though reality often forces us to change direction.

(kpl/pur/rsp)