In honor of Presidents' week, The Town Hall (123 W. 43rd St.), Times Square's landmark concert venue, presents Capitol Steps, back by popular demand, on Friday, February 25th at 8PM. Hailed as the "Forbidden Broadway of politics," Capitol Steps brings a night of musical bi-partisan political satire in their rare New York performance. Capitol Steps takes shots at anything in the headlines from the Republicans recent 'shellacking' of the Democrats, Sarah Palin and her Tea Party to trending topics such as Facebook. Tickets are on sale now for $50 and $45. All tickets for The Town Hall shows are available through Ticketmaster, (212) 307-4100, or www.ticketmaster.com, or by visiting The Town Hall Box Office between noon and 6PM (except Sundays) at 123 W. 43rd St., (212) 840-2824.
You may have watched SNL or tuned in to Comedy Central's The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, but when it comes to satire, you haven't seen the real thing until you have been to THE Capitol Steps. Famous for putting the "mock" in democracy, THE Capitol Steps has irreverent charm for both sides of the aisle with its unique brand of political humor set to popular music. While THE Capitol Steps are renowned for poking fun at occupants of the White House, no one is safe from their satirical barbs, from Democrats to Republicans, international politicians and even today's trends and celebrities. Formed in December 1981 by a group of Congressional staffers, the group shows that more often than not, politics are good for a laugh. Since then, THE Capitol Steps have recorded 30 albums, including their latest Liberal Shop of Horrors and Barackin' Around the Christmas Tree. They have been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS and can be heard four times a year on NPR during their Politics Takes a Holiday specials.
THE
Capitol Steps are an equal opportunity abuser. The current cast includes former staffers from the offices of 11 senators and seven congressmen from both parties. Says cast member
Elaina Newport, "Typically, the Republicans goof up, and the Democrats party. Then the Democrats goof up, and Republicans party. That's why we call it the 'two-party- system." The
Capitol Steps have twice won the Washington Area Music Association's "Wammie Award" for outstanding cabaret and musical theatre performance; and a New York Drama Desk nomination for "outstanding lyrics."
In addition to Newport, THE
Capitol Steps features the comedic and musical talents of
Brian Ash, Jon Bell, Bari Biern,
Howard Breitbart,
Mike Carruthers,
Evan Casey,
Andy Clemence,
Jenny Corbett,
Kevin Corbett,
Felicia Curry, Nancy Dolliver,
Morgan Duncan,
Mark Eaton,
Janet Davidson Gordon, Corey Harri, Anne Willis Hill,
Marc Irwin,
Ann Johnson, Dave Kane,
Richard Paul,
Jack Rowles,
Ann Margaret Schmitt, Emily Bell Spitz,
Tracey Stephens,
Mike Thornton,
Mike Tilford, Brad VanGrack,
Delores King Williams,
Lenny Williams and
Jamie Zemarel.
THE
Capitol Steps is part of The Town Hall 2011 season that includes Don Mclean (March 29th); Romulo Larrea Tango Ensemble (April 29th);
Peter Yarrow and Friends (May 15th);
Linda Eder (May 20th);
Kelli O'Hara (June 3rd); Easy To Love :
Andrea Marcovicci &
Jeff Harner Sing
Cole Porter (June 9th);
Dee Dee Bridgewater (June 24th) and the hit series Broadway By The Year ® (Musicals of 1932 on March 21st, Musicals of 1982 on May 16th, and Musicals of 1997 on June 20th).
The complete 2011 season is available as a subscription series, or individually, with subscriptions available now directly from The Town Hall.
Built in 1921 by a group of suffragettes, The Town Hall began as a lecture hall and public forum for debates. Over the decades, the stage has been graced by
Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Sanger,
Billie Holiday,
Igor Stravinsky,
Bob Dylan and
MiLes Davis. Today the hall flourishes as a popular, affordable venue, boasting the hottest acts in rock, pop, folk, cabaret, world music, comedy and dance, including
Billy Joel, Blondie,
Elvis Costello,
Natalie Merchant,
Graham Nash,
Liza Minnelli,
Cyndi Lauper,
Norah Jones, Andre Watts,
Henry Rollins,
Joe Jackson, Pink Martini, Regina Spector, Brian Adams, Aimee Mann and
Dawn Upshaw. For over a decade, The Town Hall has hosted live broadcasts of
Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. Over the past two-and-a-half decades, The Town Hall has produced a number of new and critically acclaimed musical series, which include The Century of Change, Not Just Jazz, Broadway By The Year® and The Broadway Cabaret Festival.
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Photo Credit: Bill Hurd
