On May 30, 2015, Sameena Mustafa, Prateek Srivastava, and Rishika Murthy draped Indian fabric across the walls of Bughouse Theater, cooked up a batch of samosas, and hosted a comedy show. It was the premiere of Simmer Brown, the name of both their monthly stand-up showcase and their south-Asian comedy collective. The inaugural event sold out, and now, one year later, the group are celebrating with a special anniversary program.
“It’s like an Indian-hospitality thing,” Mustafa says. “You’re coming into our home, so we’re going to feed you, then we’re going to entertain you.” But make no mistake, though the hosts embrace their heritage, they’re not here to make fun of it. On a scale from Russell Peters to Aziz Ansari, they find themselves somewhere in the middle.
“My main reason for doing this is to convince young high school Indian kids out there to not be a doctor—be a comedian,” Murthy says.
Sat 5/28, 8 PM Bughouse Theater 1910 W. Irving Parkfacebook.com/simmerbrowncomedy $15, $10 in advance
