Broad Gauge Entertainment is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to “fostering diverse perspectives in the arts.” In today’s local arts community, it stands as one of the few modes of artistic expression for South Asian voices. Outside of its traditional art forms, the desi community has been largely unrecognized, or perhaps even absent, from the D.C. art scene. Broad Gauge and other groups such as Subcontinental Drift might indicate a sea change of sorts.

A driving force of Broad Gauge is founder Arpita Mukherjee, a talented young director and writer who has put on shows at the South Asian Literary and Theater Arts Festival, the Schlesinger Center, and Flashpoint. Broad Gauge is currently staging two shows directed by Mukherjee, Death Before Dying and I Am S.A.A.M. (South Asian American Male), at the Capital Fringe Festival. The shows have flaws in their execution, but present a fresh addition to the the local arts community.

I Am S.A.A.M. (South Asian American Male) is a multi-media presentation of short vignettes designed to describe the travails of South Asian men in our nation’s capital. Some of the scenes rely heavily on nudges and winks that only South Asians will understand, but most of the play is accessible to a wider audience. The cast is comprised mainly of amateur actors, but the women of the troupe, Carol Jacob in particular, have a surprisingly natural stage presence.

Image courtesy of Broad Gauge Entertainment