Lacy shadow images are projected on a taught linen screen with a coconut oil lamp or electric light. The Dalang, or shadow artist, manipulates carved leather figures between the lamp and the screen to bring the shadows to life. The Stories Most shadow play is based on two epic stories from India. The Balinese and Javanese have combined the Hindu stories with Buddhist and Muslim ideas and their own folk lore. Usually, these stories are divided into many different episodes.
Some episodes are purely Indonesian creations based on the epics.
Other stories from Indonesian history and myth are occasionally performed. The Dalang chooses a story appropriate to the village or venue sponsoring the performance. This choice is made to illustrate a useful moral. Upon arriving to perform, the Dalang asks about current local events and uses the story to illustrate solutions. The Dalang tells the story, manipulates all the figures, interprets characters and voices for each, and produces sound effects punctuating speech and movement.