Jalan Sesama

From Muppet Wiki

Tantan, Momon, Putri and Jabrik.

Tantan the orangutan.

Momon and Putri.

Jabrik the rhino and Tantan.

Jalan Sesama is the Indonesian co-production of Sesame Street, making its debut on Trans7 on February 18, 2008. ^[1] Jalan Sesama means "street for all" and was inspired by the concept of togetherness and diversity. "The name was inspired by the concept of togetherness and diversity of the program," said Putri Rahartana, senior producer of Sesame Street Indonesia. ^[2] Aside to teaching letters and numbers, the program will teach about Indonesia's diversity, environmental awareness, and positive character building. ^[3]

The program started filming in May 2007 and contracted to run until 2010. It is currently in production with local company Creative Indigo Productions and New York-based, non-profit educational organization Sesame Workshop. The partnership will produce three seasons -- or 156 half-hour episodes -- of a completely original Indonesian-language series to be shown nationwide in Indonesia. ^[4]

The program is different from Boneka Sesame, in which the American Sesame Street program is simply dubbed into Indonesian.

Jalan Sesama will feature stories, songs and music in the Indonesian language and will be set in an Indonesian village rather than the New York neighbourhood featured in the main American version of the educational program. "We want to raise local cultural values, which in the cities are often no longer held, such as gotong royong," said Mohammad Zuhdi, the research director of Indonesia's PSI Studio Center, the show's co-producer along with the New York-based Sesame Workshop. ^[5]

The show will feature new Indonesian Muppet characters, locally produced live action and animated films, and classic Sesame Street segments featuring Elmo, Big Bird and other Sesame characters.

It's possible also that the program will introduce other world cultures, such as American culture. "But it's must not in the beginning of the program. We will concentrate on local content in the initial program," said Sesame Street Indonesia's research and education director Muhammad Zuhdi, who is also a lecturer at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University. ^[2]

Jalan Sesama, like Sesame Street as screened in the US, will not have commercial breaks in the middle of the programs. ^[3] A magazine published by Gramedia Publishing will be sold on newsstands beginning in April 2008. ^[1]

Background

In March 2006, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced a new U.S.-sponsored Indonesian Sesame Street program to teachers and students, then titled Sesame Indonesia. ^[6] The Secretary of State made an announcement that the United States will donate US$8.5 million to help Indonesia to develop the TV program. ^[7]

USAID's Sesame Street Indonesia partnership complements President Bush's broader $157 million education initiative for Indonesia, designed to improve the quality of basic education throughout the country. ^[8]

And so it's really exciting for me to be here in Indonesia. I'm very glad that the United States and Indonesia have joined in this partnership for this wonderful school. It is a part of an initiative that President Bush announced when he was in Indonesia two years ago. And today we are announcing $8.5 million for a program to bring Sesame Street to the schools of Indonesia.

- Dr. Rice ^[9]

USAID Mission Director William M. Frej said: "By improving school readiness in basic literacy and numeracy, the Indonesian Sesame Street program will help millions of Indonesia's children develop the skills they need to have a successful school experience." ^[10]

At a May 22 press conference on the set of "Jalan Sesama" - the new Indonesian version of Sesame Street - US Charge d'Affaires John Heffern and USAID Mission Director Bill Frej introduced 4 new Indonesian Muppets and marked the first day of production for the show. ^[11]

Cast

Marty Robinson trained the twelve Indonesian Muppeteers from March 13-22.

GA Razi Hassan as Jabrik, with Wiwid Widyas Prihantoro as right hand
Tresna Wardhana as Momon, with Tri Susatyo (Jambul) as right hand
Feriana Tiarnida as Putri
Melanie Restiyanti as Tantan, with Regina Stella as right hand
Puppet wranglers: Ara Yogaswara, Nadia Andarini

Characters

Momon, a five-year-old boy who learns to draw letters and loves drawing and counting.
Putri, an active 3-1/2-year-old girl who is always asking Momon for help, compared to Ernie and Elmo in some press^[12]
Tantan, a wise female orangutan that settles every dispute on Jalan Sesama.
Jabrik, a baby rhinoceros that is always complaining and laughing.

Several puppets will wear Islamic veils as part of Dr. Rice's broader message that Western culture can co-exist peacefully with moderate Islam. ^[13]

Production crew

Sesame Workshop Senior Producer for Sesame Street Indonesia: Mary Tai (was Ginger Brown) ^[14]
Local Production Company: Creative Indigo Productions ^[4]
Managing Director: Robby T. Winarka ^[15]
Senior Producer: Putri Rahartana ^[2]
Research and Education director: Muhammad Zuhdi ^[2]
Project Director: Atun Purbo ^[4]
Director: Key Mangunsong ^[3]
Senior Headwriter: Trusye Sunarto
Screenwriter: Ratih Kumala ^[16]^[17]

Media Gallery

Jalan Sesama 's Muppeteers play characters in a puppeteer training session.	Momon and Putri bear a close resemblance to Elmo and Ernie in the original cast [Reuters]	Tantan the orangutan will dispense words of wisdom [Reuters]	Jalan Sesama is expected to begin broadcasts later this year [Reuters]
Children sing along with two puppets at the Jalan Sesama, the Indonesian version of Sesame Street© AFP Bay Ismoyo	Tantan the orangutan, one of the four new characters of Jalan Sesama, the Indonesian version of Sesame Street © AFP Bay Ismoyo	Two of the four new characters of "Jalan Sesama," the Indonesian version of Sesame Street, Momon (L) and Putri are pictured during a ceremony in Jakarta, 22 May 2007. © AFP Bay Ismoyo	USAID/Indonesia Mission Director Bill Frej(left) with US Charge d’Affaires John Heffern (right) talk with Jalan Sesama character Momon (second left) and Putri (second right). The cast of the the Indonesian version of Sesame Street were introduced in Jakarta on Tuesday (5/22/2007)
Jalan Sesama character Jabrik (left) chats with Tantan (right). Jabrik is a baby rhino who sports a mohawk and enjoys a good laugh. Tantan is an orangutan with an appetite for fruits, vegetable and books.	Two characters of the Indonesian version of 'Sesame Street', Momon (left) and Putri (right), in an episode being produced in Jakarta. Momon is a 5-year-old boy who enjoys reading and drawing, but still learning his math. Putri is a 3,5-year-old pony-tailed girl who loves a good adventure.