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View all search results‘Perahu Kertas’: Sailing dreams from page to stage
A beloved coming-of-age novel by Dewi Lestari finds new expression as a stage musical, bringing Kugy and Keenan’s dreams to life for a new generation.
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Dream team: Key figures behind the Perahu Kertas musical, including Trinity Entertainment Network CEO Yonathan Nugroho (left), Indonesia Kaya manager Billy Gamaliel (second left), novelist Dewi Lestari (third left), producers Eunike Elisaveta (third right) and Chriskevin Adefrid, pose after a press conference at Galeri Indonesia Kaya in Central Jakarta on Nov. 18, 2025. (JP/Sylviana Hamdani)
F
or many readers, Perahu Kertas by Dewi “Dee” Lestari was not merely a novel, but a quiet companion during the uneasy years of what we now call adulting. Published in 2009, it follows university students Kugy and Keenan through friendship, love, ambition and the choices that shape their paths, a story that lingers with readers long after the final page.
Nearly two decades later, Kugy and Keenan are finding new life on stage. Trinity Entertainment Network, in collaboration with Indonesia Kaya, will present Perahu Kertas as a musical at Ciputra Artpreneur Jakarta from Jan. 30 to Feb. 15, reimagining the novel through music and movement.
“So, this is my dream come true,” Dee Lestari said, beaming, during a press conference at Galeri Indonesia Kaya on Nov. 18, 2025.
Convergence of dreams
“If you had asked me back then whether I would dare to dream that Perahu Kertas could journey this far, I would have said no,” Dee said with a smile. “And yet, here we are.”
Dee began writing the first draft of Perahu Kertas in 1996, while she was still studying at Parahyangan University in Bandung, West Java. The story was inspired by two lines from the song Mystery by Indigo Girls.
“The lyrics are about how two very different people can find each other, even when it feels impossible,” Dee said. “That stayed with me, and it became the foundation of this story.”
