Cheerful Crowd: The Representation of KPU Tagline in West Java Regional-Head Election

Pasanggiri Longser is an event chosen by General Election Commission (KPU) of West Java Province to socialize about governor election on regional-head elections. This study reveals how the tagline of KPU of West Java Province in 2018 simultaneous Pilkada, “Pilgub Jabar SEMARAK, Pilkada Serentak GEMBIRA” is represented in Longser West Java traditional theatre. The data are obtained from the event of Pasanggiri Longser held by West Java KPU in collaboration with ISBI Bandung. There are 11 groups of traditional theatre in West Java participating in the prize contest. The data are analyzed by employing the model of Circuit of Culture comprising five moments, production, consumption, representation, identity, and regulation. The result shows that the main characteristics of Longser as traditional theatre which is intimate with the audience enable the performance to be significantly cheerful. During the performance, the audience keep interupting responding the events on the stage showing that they are involved in them. Moreover, the traditional language used in the traditional theatre performance allows the message of the performance to be received more communicatively by the audience. It can be concluded that the tagline of KPU in 2018 election is successfully presented through the traditional theatre Longser.