If there is still a person uncomfortable with the concept of multiculturalism, attending this year’s Summer Show at NEIU would have been a real treat for them. The August 30 event, organized by the Indian Students Association (ISA) and Gamma Phi Omega, featured artists of at least six different nationalities who were able to smoothly blend their ethnic backgrounds with the aesthetic expectations of the audience. The dominant and most applauded mode of expression was stand-up comedy, however there were also musicians, vocalists and dancers who were cheered on by an entertainment-hungry NEIU audience.
The evening kicked off with a series of self-ironic skits by Ghuffran Ali, who laid the groundwork for some really intense ethnic humor that was to come. To give the bellies some respite, the stage was then taken by Chinese musicians, Kaige Yang and Sun Yue, with the subtle elegance of their violin and piano duet. Leo Aries, a comedian and hip-hop singer, followed and his ribaldry kept the audience entertained until the appearance of an energetic and gregarious Sun Hong. Right before the break, it was time for the comic highlight of the evening, personified by Prashant Venkataramanujam, who captivated the audience with his charm and charisma and provided witty answers to of some the mind-boggling questions about Indian culture, such as “What does THE DOT mean?”
After the break, Aries and Hong returned to the stage with Lupe Sanchez and the group Taco Flavored Eggrolls. Their sketch comedy was full of insights into American and ethnic stereotypes. Before it was time to crack up yet again, a vocal performance by Xiao Li Wang brought the sounds of the Far East right onto the St. Louis Avenue campus. Skits by Lupe Sanchez and Asif Ali drained the rest of the audience’s laughing capacity so they could sit back, and fall for the beautifully arranged dance routine by Ensemble Español, the Spanish Dance Theater in residence at NEIU, which closed the show.
It seemed that the Indian stand-up comedy was the most popular. The Independent decided to take a look behind the scenes. Luckily all of the performers were willing to share some tricks of the trade over some spicy Indian treats, which were provided by the organizers of the show. Most of the comedians are full-time college students, with majors such as IT and molecular biology. They collectively agreed that they want to have a safety net in case the comedy doesn’t work out for them.
“We all hate the idea of working in a cubical,” said Venkatamanujan, who has been in the business for 5 years. With friend and fellow-comedian Ali, they tour campuses and college clubs, in hopes of making it big. Ali, on the other hand, was fired from a corporate job, and can now be found goofing around in such comedy hot-spots as The Edge, The Funny Bone or Go Bananas in the Chicago area.
Asked about the inspiration for their skits, which thrive on cultural differences and the pitfalls of assimilation, Venkataramanujam and Ali unanimously point to real life experiences, even revealing that a lot of the cannon-fodder of humor is provided by their families.
Having watched the show, and the ease with which these performers deal with their minority experience, it appears that political correctness is not an issue in this business.
“As long as you’re tasteful and respectful, you can pretty much laugh at anyone without worrying that they will be offended,” Ali said.
Sanchez, who performed solo, and with the multicultural Taco Flavored Eggrolls, was very happy with the dynamics of the show, and the fact that “NEIU gets us.” He said he tries to base his comedy on cultural satire and claimed that if one grows up in a diverse neighborhood, it comes naturally. “Cultures are different. But because we’re different, we’re the same,” Sanchez said
Maruthi Satyaolu, former vice-president of the ISA, expressed surprised at the relatively low turn out. Sunil Mahadeshwar, the current President of the ISA, explains that it may have had something to do with the fact that the school year is not in full swing yet. However, Mahadeshwar said he has high hopes for upcoming events and is still excited about having the opportunity to be active and provide people with an outlet for their creative energy and free time. He looks forward to the third annual Summer Show in 2009. Look out for more events sponsored by the ISA.