Dear Mary;

my name is Jimmy Verstege. I am a dutch engineer, born in Bandung/Java and living in Düsseldorf/Germany. Coming to your question, you need to know, that a dalang is not having solely a role as the intermediator between the believers and the Trimurti [Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva]. He is also playing the incubator of the religion, based i.e on the stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabaratha. In past the Dalang often was misused by the Rulers of Bali and Java. Later on by the Dutch and then by its first political leaders Sukarno and Suharto. The dalang was and is the social central authority within the villages [dessas] and thus in the families. Nonetheless the dalang is NOT a priest, much more a traveler being the roles of a priest and of a social worker. It has the privilege to bless the people, to bless the offer to the Trimurti and to speak the holy languages [i.e. sanscrit, old javanese] during playing a Wayang Kulit performance. This performance is not that kind of theater you know in the Western Spheres. The WK performance are much more private nature and focussed to stimulated the social behaviour within the local society, whereby the western theater is limited to entertain the common public. The interaction between the common people of Bali and or Java is generated by the dalang, while he is speaking/praying the holy mantras. Such, you will never see within or during a theater by the actors. Hoping serving you well I look fwd with best rgds.

Jimmy Verstege

PS. pls donot hesitate to approach me if there are any open questions left