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n an attempt to preserve the Javanese traditional theater of kethoprak, the Yogyakarta provincial administration will kick off this weekend the annual Kethoprak Festival at the state-run Yogyakarta Cultural Park (TBY).

In this year'€™s festival, which runs from Nov. 28 to 30, kethoprak troupes representing all five regions in the province will compete against each other. The participating groups were previously selected in local competitions held in their respective regions.

'€œThe festival will start at 7:30 p.m. every day. The event is open to the public and also free of charge,'€ TBY head Diah Tutuko Suryandaru said on Friday.

A kethoprak troupe usually consists of dozens of actors, singers and players on traditional gamelan instruments. Stories presented in kethoprak performances are mostly drawn from Javanese history and folklore.

During a kethoprak performance, a group of gamelan players and singers stand by the stage to play live music and tembang (traditional songs) to provide a certain ambience for the act presented on stage.

During the festival, every participating group, according to Diah, is required to present a conventional kethoprak performance that comprises, among other things, several tembang and play acts.

'€œEach participant has room for creativity, but it must be in line with the local tradition,'€ he said.

On Saturday, the first day of the festival, two kethoprak groups representing the Yogyakarta municipality and the Kulon Progo regency are scheduled to separately perform in front of judges and an audience.

While the Yogyakarta group is planning to perform a play entitled Miyur, its rival from Kulon Progo is set to present one called Kasetyan (loyalty).

Yogyakarta Cultural Agency head Umar Priyono said that this year'€™s Kethoprak Festival was the second of its kind, after the maiden event that was held last year.

'€œWe must appreciate this event as kethoprak is one of our arts and cultural assets,'€ he said, adding that he was expecting to see the festival held regularly for the next few years.

Umar is also expecting to see the event attract participation from local youth, as either kethoprak performers or audience members.

'€œThese youth will become the generation that will preserve kethoprak for the future,'€ he said.

Like last year, the event organizer also provided financial support for each participating group to pay for costumes and other necessities.

The event will award prizes to winners in several categories, including Best Group, Best Director and Best Makeup Artist.

Senior kethoprak director Bondan Nusantara also supported the event, which he considered as a playground to groom future kethoprak artists.

'€œIdeally, some 80 percent of the participating performers should be younger than 40 years old,'€ he said.

Kethoprak used to be one of the most popular cultural performances for the Javanese community, which makes up some 40 percent of the Indonesian population.

However, many kethoprak groups and artists have been struggling to survive in the past few decades mainly because of a shrinking audience for their performances.

In January, a kethoprak performer from Boyolali, Central Java, for example, was arrested after being caught stealing two goats in a Semarang village and he reportedly blamed the lack of demand for his performances for his actions.

Struggling artist Gudel, 48, said that he had received only two requests to stage performances during the month, which drove him to steal the goats to make ends meet.