The Capitol Steps, the only group in America that attempts to be funnier than the Congress, is a troupe of current and former Congressional staffers who monitor events and personalities on Capitol Hill, in the Oval Office, and in other centers of power and prestige around the world and then take a humorous look at serious issues while providing a nationwide laugh for millions...
The Capitol Steps are a troupe of Congressional staffers-turned-comedians who travel the country satirizing the very people and places that once employed them. The Capitol Steps perform over 400 shows a year all over the country, covering territory from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon.
The Capitol Steps were born in December, 1981 when 3 staffers for Senator Charles Percy were planning entertainment for a Christmas party. Their first idea was to stage a nativity play, but in the whole Congress they couldn't find three wise men or a virgin! So, Capitol Steps decided to dig into the headlines of the day, and created song parodies & skits which conveyed a special brand of satirical humor that was as popular in Peoria as it was on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Ronald Reagan was President when the Capitol Steps began, so co-founders Elaina Newport, Bill Strauss and Jim Aidala figured that if entertainers could become politicians, then politicians could become entertainers! Since then, The Capitol Steps have had over 4,500 performances in 48 states. The Capitol Steps now has 22 cast members, 5 of whom are on stage for any one show.
Most cast members of The Capitol Steps have worked on Capitol Hill; some for Democrats, some for Republicans, and others for politicians who firmly straddle the fence. No matter who holds office, there's never a shortage of material. Says Elaina Newport; "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."
Although the Capitol Steps are based in Washington, DC, most of their shows are out-of-town or for out-of-town audiences. The only complaints the Capitol Steps seem to get are from politicians and personalities who are not included in the program!