THE PHILOSOPHICAL AND DRAMATURGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF INDONESIAN TRADITIONAL "WAYANG" THEATER

This article examines the "Wayang" theater, which is considered one of the oldest and most complex performing arts in traditional Indonesian culture. It analyzes the origins, philosophical concepts, and unique dramaturgical structure of shadow theater (wayang kulit), wooden puppet theater (wayang golek), and human-performed theater (wayang wong). Furthermore, the study explores the symbolic role of the lead performer — the dalang — within theater aesthetics and cosmological worldviews, as well as the dramatic and emotional impact of Gamelan musical accompaniment.