The Johor Heritage Foundation (YWJ) has announced the Johor State Sandiwara Fiesta: Saga Saujana in a media conference on 4th August 2025 at the Johor Art Gallery, Sultan Abu Bakar Heritage Complex (KAWASB), Johor Bahru, Johor.

The fiesta is a theatre arts programme that brings together valuable, creative and profound works in two different performances, which are the “8 Kisah 1 Malam” (8 Stories 1 Night) theatre and the Gerincing Sari Embun musical theatre.

For the 8 Kisah 1 Malam Theatre performance, it will be staged on 8th August 2025, at 8.30 pm at the Main Hall, Sultan Abu Bakar Heritage Complex.

This theatre is conceptualised as an anthology of eight short theatre works and eight unique styles, but all are united in one night.

Meanwhile, the Gerincing Sari Embun Musical Theatre will be staged on 16th and 17th August 2025 at 8.30 pm at the Main Hall, Sultan Abu Bakar Heritage Complex.

Director and song arranger, Amar Reza Zainalabidin said that his party visited Kampung Seri Bunian in Pontian, Johor to collect information and understand the background of the story.

“We conducted a site visit to get the stories of the local community, then processed them into a performance form to make them more relevant and easily accepted,” he said.

The theatre featured YWJ cultural artists and was led by singer and theatre actor Asmidar.

“It’s not just entertainment; this theatre is also full of messages.

Although the setting is the 1950s or 60s, the issue of pollution and environmental damage actually started a long time ago,” said Asmidar.

This performance is expected to be an interesting cultural education platform for the younger generation and fans of the country’s performing arts.

The press conference was officiated by Fairulzahri bin Jalaluddin, Director of YWJ.

Also present at the press conference were Amar Reza bin Zainalabidin, Director and Songwriter of the Gerincing Sari Embun Musical Theatre; Norhasmidar binti Ahmad, better known as Asmidar, Actress of the Gerincing Sari Embun Musical Theatre; Mohd Hady bin Mohd Tahir, Assistant Administrative Officer of the YWJ Event Management Division; and Muhamad Azrul Syafiq bin Samsudin, Actress of the Gerincing Sari Embun Musical Theatr

The Johor State Playwright Fiesta: Saga Saujana is an initiative of YWJ in upholding local theatre arts and fostering interest among the younger generation in the cultural heritage of the state of Johor.