The Capitol Steps, the only group in Washington that attempts to be funnier than the Congress, is a troupe of former Congressional Staffers who travel the country satirizing the very people and places that once employed them.

Over the past 16 years the group has recorded 16 albums, including four during the Clinton Administration: "Return to Center," "A Whole Newt World," "Lord of the Fries" and "The Joy of Sax." Other past releases include; "76 Bad Loans," "We Arm the World," "Stand By Your Dan," and "Fools on the Hill." The Capitol Steps perform over three hundred shows a year all over the country, covering territory from Traverse City, Michigan to Tallahassee and from Pasadena to Pensacola.

The Steps have been featured on three national specials for public television, "Good Morning, America," "Entertainment Tonight," "Nightline," "The Today Show," "20/20," "CBS Morning News," "ABC's World News Tonight," "NBC Nightly News," and dozens of times on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered." They currently produce, with KCRW, quarterly specials for public radio stations nationwide, and they've been regularly featured on CNN's "Inside Politics."

The group was formed in December, 1981 when three staffers for Senator Charles Percy were asked to provide entertainment for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Christmas party. At first, the group considered staging a traditional nativity play, but in all of the Congress were unable to find three wise men or a virgin! So they decided instead to dig into the headlines and hot topics of the day to create new lyrics for familiar tunes. What emerged was a special brand of satirical humor that played as well in Peoria as it did on Pennsylvania Avenue, and, thanks to the likes of Ross Perot, Socks the Cat, and the entire Congress, has enjoyed an ever-increasing audience.

Elaina Newport, Bill Strauss, and Jim Aidala who reasoned if entertainers could become politicians, politicians could become entertainers created the Capitol Steps during the Reagan Administration. Since then, there's been a tripling of the national debt, four Soviet Premiers, and more than 4,500 performances in 47 states. The group now has a full cast roster of twenty, six of whom are on stage for any one show.

All of the members of the cast have worked on Capitol Hill, some for Democrats, some for Republicans, and some for politicians who sit firmly on the fence. Thanks to the trials and tribulations, scandals and screw-ups of our elected officials, there's never a shortage of material. Says Elaina Newport, co-founder and performer, "Typically the Republicans goof up, and the Democrats party. Then the Democrats goof up, and the Republicans party. That's what we call the two-party system."

Many celebrities and politicians, some of whom have been targets themselves, have performed with the troupe: Sam Donaldson, Vice President Gore, Larry King, Pat Robertson, Surgeon General Koop, Fawn Hall, and President Bush, to name a few. In fact, the Steps have performed for Presidents Ford, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton.

Although the Steps are based in Washington, DC, ninety percent of their performances are out-of-town or for out-of-town audiences. Whether it's a performance for the National Welding Supply Association, a University audience, or State Legislators, audiences love to laugh at political pokes at public figures like Bill Clinton-who sings "I've Taken Stands on Both Sides Now," (to the tune of Judy Collins' "Both Sides Now"), or Bob Dole singing "Fifty Ways to Peeve Your Leader." And even health care reform takes a few shots in 'You Can Suture Yourself at Home" (to the tune of "Consider Yourself'). The only complaints they get are from politicians and personalities who are not included in the program!
 

Visit the The Capitol Steps' Website

56 Poquonock Avenue Windsor, Connecticut 06095  Voice: 800-875-2893    Fax: 860-687-1062