Twenty years after it first captured the imagination of Malaysian audiences, Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical has done it again.
Tickets for the award-winning show's highly anticipated 2026 restaging at the newly-opened Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre (JCPAC), Sunway Square from Oct 31 to Nov 15 sold out within just two hours of public sales, which opened last night (Aug 24) at 8pm.
The upcoming Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical returns with a new generation of cast members, led by singer Aisha Retno and actor Mila Mohsin, who share the title role.
For Tiara Jacquelina, director and co-creator of the Enfiniti production, the response has been overwhelming and deeply humbling.
“I honestly don’t quite have the words for what happened tonight. Twenty years after we first brought Puteri Gunung Ledang to the stage, to know that Malaysians still hold this story so close to their hearts – and that a whole new generation wants to discover it – is incredibly moving,” said Tiara in a media statement.
“Twenty years ago, we dreamed that Puteri Gunung Ledang might become something Malaysians would remember. Tonight, Malaysians reminded us that they never forgot," she added.
At 10pm last night, more than 22,000 people remained in the online queue despite tickets having sold out.
“To me, this isn’t only a Puteri Gunung Ledang story. It is a very encouraging sign for Malaysian theatre and for the performing arts in this country. It tells us that audiences are hungry for our stories, our performers and our own homegrown productions. I hope this gives even greater confidence to everyone who believes in and invests in the Malaysian performing arts,” said Tiara.
With rehearsals underway ahead of the show's Oct 31 opening, Tiara said the sell-out has only heightened the company’s responsibility.
“Right now, I’m trying not to be distracted by the numbers. My responsibility is very simple: we have to deliver. And not merely deliver what audiences remember or expect — we have to go beyond it.”
“That has always been how I work. If people are giving us this much love and trust before they have even seen the show, then we owe them something extraordinary when those curtains open.”
While no additional performances have been confirmed, Tiara acknowledged the thousands who were unable to secure tickets and hinted at possible opportunities beyond the current season.
“There have already been approaches and conversations about taking Puteri Gunung Ledang beyond this season, including interest from other parts of Malaysia. Nothing is confirmed, and right now our absolute focus is on delivering an extraordinary show. But after seeing this response, of course we have to seriously explore what more might be possible,” said Tiara.
“People have given us their trust. Now it is our turn to earn it. We cannot wait to welcome everyone back to Ledang,” she concluded.
