Artist Series Presents THE CAPITOL STEPS, 2/5-10

Thirty years ago, THE Capitol Steps began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them. In the following years, many of the Steps ignored the conventional wisdom ("Don't quit your day job!"), and although not all of the current members of the Steps are former Capitol Hill staffers, taken together the performers have worked in a total of 18 Congressional offices and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience.

THE Capitol Steps perform at the Wilson Center for the Arts on Florida State College at Jacksonville's South Campus (11901 Beach Blvd) from Tuesday, February 5th to Sunday, February 10th for eight performances only!

Since this musical political satire show began, THE Capitol Steps have recorded over 32 albums, including their latest, Take the Money and Run for President! and their special holiday release, Barackin' Around the Christmas Tree. They've been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS and can be heard four times a year on National Public Radio stations nationwide during their Politics Takes a Holiday radio specials. THE Capitol Steps were born in December 1981 when some staffers for Senator Charles Percy were planning entertainment for a Christmas party. Ronald Reagan was President when the Steps began, so co-founders Elaina Newport, Bill Strauss and Jim Aidala figured that if entertainers could become politicians, then politicians could become entertainers! So, they decided to dig into the headlines of the day and created song parodies and skits.

Most cast members 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. Although THE Capitol Steps are based in Washington, DC, most of their shows are out-of-town or for out-of-town audiences. In fact, the Capitol Steps have performed for the last 5 Presidents (6, if you include Hillary). The only complaints the Steps seem to get are from politicians and personalities who are not included in the program!

The material is updated constantly. Current examples include songs about Mitt Romney's plea to the GOP ("Help Me Fake It to the Right") and President Obama's class warfare ("If I Tax a Rich Man"). In addition, they offer their own take on such trending topics as Secret Service indiscretions and the EU's money woes and what to do with Greece. No matter who or what is in the headlines, you can bet the Capitol Steps will tackle both sides of the political spectrum and all things equally foolish. What more would you expect from the group that puts the "MOCK" in Democracy?!

Ticket prices for THE CAPITOL STEPS start at $34. Tickets are available at the Artist Series Box Office between 10AM-5PM, Monday-Friday, at (904) 442-BWAY (2929) and online at www.artistseriesjax.org. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more at (904) 442-2947 or groupsales@fscj.edu.

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