Yogyakarta, May 4–5, 2026 – Teater Pandora of the English Literature Study Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga successfully held a Theatrical Seminar titled "Adaptation and Innovation of the Arts in the Midst of the Digital Revolution." The event, which took place at the Theatre Hall of the Language Development Centre, featured three main speakers: Asli Hamdani and Muhammad Faqih Sampurno on the first day, and Taufik Andi Prastiyo on the second day.

The event was also attended by a number of faculty members, including the Head of the English Literature Department, Dr. Ulyati Retno Sari, S.S., M.Hum.; the Vice Dean III, Dr. Syamsul Arifin,S.Ag.,M.Ag.;and the advisor of Teater Pandora, Dr. Danial Hidayatullah, S.S., M.Hum. This seminar was intended for English Literature students, particularly the Class of 2024 who are members of Teater Pandora.

The President of Teater Pandora, Chandrasa Demas Suseno, explained that this seminar served as a forum for sharing knowledge about the art of acting in the digital era, as well as part of the preparations for an upcoming performance titled "Mimpi Mati dan Tirani", scheduled for August 2026. He expressed hope that this activity would broaden students' perspectives on the world of theatre—that theatre is not merely a performance, but a medium for expressing one's innermost feelings, aspirations, and hopes.

The event opened with a speech by Dr. Syamsul Arifin, who affirmed that Teater Pandora has great potential to strengthen the existence and image of the Faculty of Adab within the campus environment. The next speech was delivered by Dr. Ulyati Retno Sari, who expressed appreciation for the event and affirmed that Teater Pandora is a form of project-based learning implementation, which is a hallmark of the English Literature Study Program.

The first session was led by Asli Hamdani, a performing arts practitioner and graduate of Universitas Sarjanawiyata Tamansiswa Yogyakarta, who has been active in the theatre world since 2010 as an actor, director, and scriptwriter, with extensive experience in production and artistic development through workshops and creative exploration.

In the first session, the discussion focused on the process of script adaptation in theatre, emphasizing the importance of a deep understanding of key story elements such as theme, conflict, character, and message before the script is adapted and developed by adjusting to context, culture, and new creativity without losing its original meaning.

The second session was delivered by Muhammad Faqih Sampurno, a freelance VFX Artist based in Yogyakarta and a graduate of the English Literature program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga. He has experience in visual arts, film, and creative production, both as a professional practitioner and as an organizational activist.

The second session focused on the theme of acting, specifically acting techniques and emotional immersion in theatre. In this session, the speaker emphasized that successful acting is determined by the actor's ability to build an emotional connection with the audience through practice and stage experience. Next, the speaker invited five participants to come forward and practice directly by reciting poetry using their own acting styles. Through this hands-on session, participants gained direct experience in understanding how emotions can be harnessed as the main driving force in an acting performance.

On the second day, the session was led by Taufik Andi Prastiyo, a Graphic Designer with more than seven years of experience, who is a graduate of the English Literature program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, with a career background in creative design, production, and arts organizations. In this session, he presented material on artistry in theatre in the digital era. He explained that artistic elements are the primary means of conveying feeling, meaning, and emotion through visual elements and stage atmosphere, which are now increasingly enhanced by digital technology support.

The event concluded with a question-and-answer session, a group photo, and the presentation of certificates to the speakers. Overall, this two-day seminar ran smoothly and received high enthusiasm from participants. It is hoped that the implementation of this seminar will enrich the insights and foster the spirit of Teater Pandora members in creating works within the art of acting. (SN/DPF/HFS)