Refining political satire into an art form, The Capitol Steps will make its way onto the Quick Center stage for an 8 p.m. performance that guarantees to bring a healthy dose of humor to this election season.
Before The Daily Show, Full Frontal, and The Colbert Report had us laughing at headlines, a group of senate staffers got together to perform skits and parodies as entertainment for an office Christmas party. Ronald Reagan was president at the time, so The Capitol Steps’ co-founders Elaina Newport, Bill Strauss, and Jim Aidala figured that if an entertainer could become a politician, then politicians could become entertainers. They dug into the headlines of the day, creating song parodies and skits that conveyed an insider’s brand of satirical humor.
The show was a hit, and today – more than 35 years later – The Capitol Steps continues to turn today’s political news into timely laugh therapy and bipartisan lampooning for TV, radio, and live audiences nationwide. Most of the current crop of cast members have previously worked on Capitol Hill: some for Democrats, some for Republicans, and others for politicians who firmly straddle the fence. Together, the performers bring a collective 18 Congressional offices, 62 years of House and Senate staff experience, and limitless wry wit to every performance.
Described by the Washington Post as "an oasis of good-natured ribbing in a fiercely partisan world," The Capitol Steps has recorded 38 albums over the years, including their latest – Make America Grin Again. They’ve performed for five U.S. presidents, and they have appeared on Good Morning America, the Today Show, 20/20, Entertainment Tonight, Nightline, CNN’s Inside Politics, and dozens of times on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered.
The Capitol Steps’ repertoire is constantly evolving – courtesy of the scandal of the day – but Quick Center audiences can look forward to catching a few crowd-pleasers from recent Capitol Steps performances, such as: “Oops… I Tweeted Again,” “Faking News is Hard to Do,” “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Korea?” and “It Was a Very Huuuge Year.”
This performance by The Capitol Steps is sponsored by WSHU and the Westport Inn. Tickets are $60, $50, and for Quick Members, $40. For more information or to reserve your seat, visit or call the box office at 203-254-4010, or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396.
