Additional Press for The Capitol Steps

The Cambridge Performances (November 28)

***Boston Globe (11/05/09) "Mark Your Calendars": http://www.boston.com/ae/events/articles/2009/11/05/mark_your_calendar/

***Boston Globe (11/27/09): Weekend
http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2009/11/27/a_capitol_idea/

***Panorama Boston Guide: http://www.bostonguide.com/current_events/current_event.aspx?event=comedy

Lebanon, NH Performance (November 15)

***Hanover NH Chamber of Commerce: http://hanoverchamber.org/calendar/show_event.php?id=546&o=2&c=1&m=11&a=19&y=2009&w=1

Northampton, MA Performance (November 14)

***Westfield on Weekends: http://www.westfieldonweekends.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=23591&month=11&year=2009

Capitol Steps / Lebanon. A Rave Review

From Kerry Trotter at the Valley News:

http://www.vnews.com/11162009/6164381.htm

Capitol Steps / Northampton. Successful performance!

The MGAPR/Mike Thornton Agency co-producing venture of "The Capitol Steps" Obama Mia Tour performance in Northampton, our first independent production since our WFCR days, was a success. Mike and I had co-produced The Capitol Steps for seven seasons at Mount Holyoke as a WFCR benefit. We'd both worked together on other Capitol Steps performances (he as producer, me as publicist) in Vermont, Cambridge, and Orlando. This was our first shot doing it on our own.

The Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton was the ideal venue. Theatre director Debra J'Anthony and general manager Matt Meers were great to work with, as was Mark Florence at the Northampton Box-Office. Communication Angle provided great marketing materials. We also had great support from our sponsors, The Valley Advocate, Daily Hampshire Gazette, and 88.5FM/WFCR and 640AM/WNNZ.

I always like to thank the people behind the scenes who make collaborations successful, so an appreciative shout-out to: Patty Desroches, Mark Iacuessa, Vanessa Cerillo, Chris Daly, and Michael Kusek.

Some of the great media features generated here:

***Amherst Bulletin and Daily Hampshire Gazette interview with Elaina Newport, co-founder of The Capitol Steps: http://www.amherstbulletin.com/story/id/159796/
***Springfield Sunday Republican interview with Bari Biern, a member of The Capitol Steps: http://www.masslive.com/springfield/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-25/1257495358325930.xml&coll=1

Recent Publicity for Mark G Auerbach Public Relations Clients

We're doing PR for The Mike Thornton Agency for the Capitol Steps tour (we're co-producing the Northampton performance with Mike)


Albany, NY (The Egg, October 17)

***Empire Page: http://www.empirepage.com/2009/10/8/the-capitol-steps-bring-their-political-musical-satire-obama-mia-to-albany-s-egg-on-saturday-october-17
***Bennington VT Banner: http://www.benningtonbanner.com/entertainment/ci_13564225
***WAMC Website: http://www.wamcarts.org/capstepsategg.html
***Albany CBS6: http://events.cbs6albany.com/albany-ny/events/show/88306824-the-capitol-steps

Cambridge/Boston, MA (Sanders Theatre, November 28 at 5PM & 8PM)

***Culture Mob: http://culturemob.com/events/6049035-the-capitol-steps-the-obama-mia-tour-ma-cambridge-mid-cambridge-02138-sanders-theatre
***Sonic Living Blog: http://sonicliving.com/event/1464843

Lebanon, NH (Lebanon Opera House, November 15 at 7:30PM)

***Eventful.com: http://eventful.com/lebanon_nh/events/the-capitol-steps-/E0-001-025639568-9
***New Hampshire.com: http://calendar.newhampshire.com/calendar/venues/Lebanon_Opera_House/14.aspx
***Leave No Trace Blog: http://leavenotracecabin.com/leavenotracecabin/blog/
***The Laker Guide: http://www.thelaker.com/whatsup/november.html

Northampton, MA (Academy of Music. November 14 at 8PM)

***Mass Live (Springfield Republican) Listings: http://www.masslive.com/events/index.ssf?/cgi-bin/mae.cgi/mass/events/results_advanced.ata?start=70&domain=event&search=advanced&city=Northampton&date=&pov=&x=44&y=12
***Mass Live 2: (Springfield Republican)-Northampton events: http://mass.live.advance.net/events/index.ssf?/cgi-bin/mae.cgi/mass/events/results_advanced.ata?start=80&domain=event&search=advanced&city=Northampton&date=&pov=&x=44&y=12
***Linked In (Springfield area listings): http://events.linkedin.com/springfield-massachusetts
***Facebook: http://af-za.facebook.com/event.php?eid=157079621489&index=1

Blast From The Past: Jim Bernhard

Thanks, Google!

I got an email the other day from one of my former supervisers at the Houston Ticket Center. Jim Bernhard, performing arts Renaissance Man, former head of Houston's Society for the Performing Arts, and arts administrator, playwright, actor and author, has a new book. He was googling about the public radio quiz show "Says You!" and my name came up.

In the performing arts world, Jim's done it all. The Society for the Performing Arts brought the world's best orchestras, ballets, and soloists to Houston; Jim also ran Theatre Under The Stars and the Alley at different times, plus some international trade groups for arts administrators. He hosted an arts show on public TV, and wrote plays and musicals and acted.

Last time I saw Jim was in the 90s, where he was playing opposite Juliet Prowse in a touring production of "Mame" that played Hartford's Bushnell. Another colleague of mine from my Houston days was the show's press rep. So, I managed to see the musical twice and hang out with Jim some (and meet Juliet Prowse who was a fabulous "Mame").

His new book, "Words Gone Wild" (coming out in Spring 2010 from Skyhorse Publishers) is a zestful book about words--their histories, and sometime hilarious examples of puns, double entendres, tongue-twisters and more. It's a follow-up effort to his book "Porcupine, Picayune, & Post: How Newspapers Get Their Names".

Jim's blog: http://www.wordsgoingwild.blogspot.com/

Press Release: Capitol Steps Add 2nd Cambridge Show

DATELINE: October 29, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Mike Thornton, The Mike Thornton Agency
(C) 703-597-4441
thorntonis@yahoo.com
Mark G. Auerbach, Mark G. Auerbach Public Relations
(O) 413-733-7095 or (C) 413-427-7352
mgauerbach@gmail.com

THE CAPITOL STEPS ADD SECOND SHOW FOR THEIR RETURN TO METRO BOSTON WITH THEIR POLITICAL MUSICAL SATIRE "OBAMA MIA". PERFORMANCES AT 5PM AND 8PM AT CAMBRIDGE'S SANDERS THEATRE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28.

Cambridge, MA:The Capitol Steps, America's award-winning political musical satirists, have added a performance for their return to the Boston area with their new tour "Obama Mia". A second performance at 5PM has been added along with the 8PM performance on Saturday, November 28 at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA.

Famous for putting the "mock" in democracy, the Capitol Steps have become an annual area tradition The irreverent group charms audiences on 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 and from Congress to the Supreme Court.

The Cambridge performances will feature "Officer Crowley", based on the"West Side Story" tune "Officer Krupke" which shows lessons learned from the Gates arrest in Cambridge, and some seasonal favorites from the Capitol Steps' new holiday CD "Baracking Around The Christmas Tree". Other Obama Mia favorites include: "We've Got A Lot of Livers", an ode to the newly-proposed government-sponsored healthcare programs; and "Help Me Honda", the tale of the Big Three auto executives and a government bailout.

Since they began performing in 1981, the Capitol Steps have recorded 29 albums. They've been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, and can be heard 4 times a year on NPR stations nationwide during their "Politics Takes a Holiday" radio specials. The Cambridge program includes songs from
their new album "Obama-Mia", as well as melodies spoofing the current issues in the news. The show hits both sides of the aisle, and the songs change with the scandal of the day. So, if something big happens in the news, you can run to the Capitol Steps show and find out exactly what rhymes with it!

The Capitol Steps have twice won the Washington Area Music Association's "Wammie Award" or outstanding cabaret and musical theatre performances; a New York Drama Desk nomination for "outstanding lyrics", and other national accoloades.

To preview some of the Capitol Steps materials and download selections from "Obama-Mia", visit their website (www.capsteps.com) or find The Capitol Steps on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Tickets or both performances, 5PM and 8PM: $38.00, $34.00, $29.00 are on sale at the Harvard Box-Office, Telephone: 617-496-2222 Online at: http://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/boxoffice/

The Cambridge performance of The Capitol Steps is produced by the Mike Thornton Agency.

                -30-

Press Release: Capitol Steps Return to Cambridge

Shortly after we sent this out to Boston media, we learned that The Capitol Steps would add a second show at 5PM on the 28th. Ticket prices are the same.

DATELINE: October 22, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Mike Thornton, The Mike Thornton Agency
(C) 703-597-4441
thorntonis@yahoo.com
Mark G. Auerbach, Mark G. Auerbach Public Relations
(O) 413-733-7095 or (C) 413-427-7352
mgauerbach@gmail.com

THE CAPITOL STEPS RETURN TO METRO BOSTON WITH THEIR POLITICAL MUSICAL SATIRE "OBAMA MIA" WITH ONE PERFORMANCE AT CAMBRIDGE'S SANDERS THEATRE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28.

Cambridge, MA:The Capitol Steps, America's award-winning political musical satirists, return to the Boston area with their new tour "Obama Mia" for one performance, Saturday, November 28 at 8PM at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA.

Famous for putting the "mock" in democracy, the Capitol Steps have become an annual area tradition The irreverent group charms audiences on 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 and from Congress to the Supreme Court. The Capitol Steps are the only show to feature North Korean leader Kim Jong Il singing show tunes ("How Do You Solve a Problem Like Korea?") and Vladimir Putin showing his 'soul' in "Midnight Raid to Georgia."

Since they began performing in 1981, the Capitol Steps have recorded 29 albums. They've been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, and can be heard 4 times a year on NPR stations nationwide during their "Politics Takes a Holiday" radio specials. The Northampton program includes songs from
their new album "Obama-Mia", as well as melodies spoofing the current issues in the news. The show hits both sides of the aisle, and the songs change with the scandal of the day. So, if something big happens in the news, you can run to the Capitol Steps show and find out exactly what rhymes with it!

The Capitol Steps have twice won the Washington Area Music Association's "Wammie Award" or outstanding cabaret and musical theatre performances; a New York Drama Desk nomination for "outstanding lyrics", and other national accoloades.

To preview some of the Capitol Steps materials and download selections from "Obama-Mia", visit their website (www.capsteps.com) or find The Capitol Steps on MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Tickets: $38.00, $34.00, $29.00 are on sale at the Harvard Box-Office, Telephone: 617-496-2222
Online at: http://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/boxoffice/

The Cambridge performance of The Capitol Steps is produced by the Mike Thornton Agency.

                -30-