It isn’t so often that South Asian cultural events happen in DC, but when they do, it reaffirms to me how much I love living here. Today is one of those days.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Charles Lang Freer’s gift (Freer’s money led to the creation of the Freer Gallery here in Washington) to the American people, the Smithsonian Institutions are putting on a day’s worth of Asian-American themed cultural events. Starting at 4 pm today, the Rudresh Mahanthappa quartet will perform on the Freer Steps, and because it is raining the show will likely be shifted to the Gallery’s Meyer Auditorium. The quartet is led by Saxaphonist extraordinaire and Pi recording Artist Rudresh Mahanthappa and will feature a blend of South Asian and Western Jazz improvisation.
If that isn’t enough FREE entertainment for you, starting at 8 pm, female Indian-American comedian Vijai Nathan, of “Good Girls don’t, but Indian Girls do” fame, along with Frank Hong, will be entertaining the crowds with their ethnic comedy at the Meyer Auditorium. And to make the night a bit more festive, there will be a sake tasting for two hours immediately before the show in the Freer courtyard.
So if you are in Washington D.C. today, and are willing to brave the first signs of fall here in DC, make sure you head out to the Freer today.
The Freer Gallery is located at Independence Ave at 12th St SW here in Washington D.C.
Vijai Nathan is amazing. I saw her “good girls don’t but indian girls do” show 2 years ago, and she had us howling and tearing all in two hours…
Vijai Nathan is amazing. I saw her “good girls don’t but indian girls do” show 2 years ago, and she had us howling and tearing all in two hours…
And two years later she is still doing the same thing! Curry jokes and all.
I saw her a few years back and with a bunch of aunties and uncles in the room. When she started with personal premarital sex stuff, it was awesome to see their faces.
anyone have any extra tickets for vijai’s performance? i saw somewhere that no more tickets were available.
SA, was this the mid-summer NetSAP show at Lincoln Theatre? I take full responsibility for that particular event.
am thrilled to hear about this event. would have been even happier if i had known about it a week in advance. is there a way for you guys to let us know about such stuff a few days earlier. for us non-dc kinds would help plan a trip.