Friday, January 7, 2011

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jill Graziano Laiacona

703-993-8794

MANASSAS, Va., Jan. 7, 2010 – “You have watched ‘Saturday Night Live’ and tune in to Comedy Central every night for ‘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.” (The Washington Post) After 30 years of lampooning the affairs of state on the other side of the Potomac and both sides of the aisle, the Capitol Steps have become a respected institution in the world of politics, even to those who are targets of the group’s irreverent brand of topical humor. This hilarious musical comedy troupe, whose claim to fame is that they put “the mock in Democracy,” comes to the Hylton Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011 at 8 p.m. for a night of bipartisan entertainment that audiences will find side-splittingly funny, regardless of political leanings. A pre-performance discussion will be held one hour prior to the performance in the Hylton Center’s Buchanan Partners Art Gallery. Novant Health is the Grand Opening Season Sponsor of Hylton Presents at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.

“They’re the best. There’s no one like them, no one in their league.” (Larry King, CNN) The Capitol Steps began in December 1981, when Congressional staffers Elaina Newport, Jim Aidala and the late Bill Strauss were planning entertainment for a Christmas party. Their performance was a huge hit at the party, and they began writing and performing bipartisan song parodies and skits pulled directly from the political headlines of the day. Since then, the Capitol Steps have recorded more than 30 albums poking fun at each and every administration, with titles that include “A Whole Newt World,” “It’s Not Over ‘Til the First Lady Sings,” “Between Iraq and a Hard Place,” “Four More Years in the Bush Leagues,” “Obama Mia!” and most recently, “Liberal Shop of Horrors” and “Barackin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” The ensemble has performed on “Good Morning America,” the “Today Show” and “20/20.” The Capitol Steps are also heard on NPR four times a year (New Year’s Day, April Fools’ Day, the Fourth of July and Halloween) with their radio special “Politics Takes a Holiday,” which is performed in front of a live audience at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C., where the group has a regular gig on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year. Although not all of the 31 current members of the Capitol Steps are or have been Capitol Hill staffers, the group’s performers have worked in a total of 18 Congressional offices for both the Democratic and Republican parties.

The Hylton Performing Arts Center is pleased to recognize

Novant Health as the Grand Opening Season Sponsor

of the 2010-11 Hylton Presents season.

Tickets for THE CAPITOL STEPS are $24, $32, $40. Visit the box office or charge by phone at 888-945-2468 or visit hyltoncenter.org. The Hylton Performing Arts Center is located on George Mason University’s Prince William Campus at 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Va., 20110. Free parking is available in the lot next to the Hylton Center. For more information, please visit hyltoncenter.org.

About the Hylton Performing Arts Center
Dedicated to bringing a world-class performing arts venue to the Prince William region, the Hylton Performing Arts Center was born out of a partnership among Prince William County, George Mason University, the City of Manassas, the Commonwealth of Virginia and individuals and businesses in the private sector. Soaring more than nine stories and boasting a stunning mix of copper, glass and masonry, the 85,000-square foot center is home to two unparalleled performance venues for local arts groups and performers from around the world, as well as university-related activities. Modeled after the intimate European opera houses of the 19th century, Merchant Hall is a 1,140-seat multipurpose proscenium theater, which is encircled by 27 private boxes that rise three levels. The Gregory Family Theater is a flexible, 4,400-square foot space that can be configured for many different types of performances and events. In addition, the Didlake Grand Foyer, with its sweeping staircase, provides an ideal setting for community, corporate and social events. The Hylton Performing Arts Center, the only building of its kind in the area, is sure to quickly become the cultural hub of Prince William County and the surrounding communities and is a shining example of collaboration and commitment to the arts.

About George Mason University

Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university.

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