Lawmakers, media serve up laughs at annual ‘Will on the Hill’

Big names from Capitol Hill, the media world and the stage gathered Monday night for the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s annual performance of “Will on the Hill.”

D.C. notables put their acting chops on show, delivering laughs and poking fun at the current political scene to raise money for arts education.

This year’s performance was entitled “My Kingdom for a Farce,” written by Michael Trottier, with help from Jeff Nussbaum, Brian Agler, and Patrick Ross from West Wing Writers. The show mixed Shakespeare and politics through the story of a bumbling campaign manager named Rich.

The event was a bipartisan affair, with playful hits directed at both Republicans and Democrats.

“The name’s Rich. Hi, I’m the campaign manager around here, and like the DCCC, I have no idea what I’m doing!” said actor Ken Clark, a star of numerous professional stage productions, including “Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812” on Broadway.

Rich was one of the many colorful characters in the show, which saw him enlist two allies, “C and T,” who represented Shakespeare’s most famous comedic and tragic characters. There were bumps on the road for the campaign and while C and T did their best to avoid catastrophe, Rich couldn’t hide his complete lack of competence.

{mosads}

“None of you would leak this soliloquy to The Post, would you?” Clark joked with the audience at one point.

Different Shakespearean characters appeared throughout the performance to deliver punch lines that drew laughs and cheers from the audience.

Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.) played Macbeth and delivered a shot at the Clintons, telling the audience: “My marriage inspired Bill and Hillary.”

One twist involved Rich having to deal with a group of conspiracy theorists jokingly called “the Truthbusters.”

Gregory Angelo, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, played Coriolanus from the Shakespearean tragedy, who suggested dealing with the Truthbusters with a trial by combat. Angelo as Coriolanus said the team needed to “make stabbing great again,” and donned a plain red baseball cap for the rest of the show.

Of course, the night would not have been complete without praise for the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals.

“I mean, you can still battle knights — just last Thursday we obliterated some knights from Las Vegas,” said “T,” played by Shakespeare Theatre Company actress Victoria Frings, drawing loud cheers from the audience.

And the laughs paid off, with the Shakespeare Theatre Company raising $500,000.

The Hill was a media sponsor for the annual event, which also saw Editor in Chief Bob Cusack take the stage, teamed up with Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) as “the investigators.”

Other lawmakers performing included Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) and Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), as well as former Reps. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) and Jim Moran (D-Va.). Also featured were Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss).

Other stars on stage included Ryan Zinke, who is Interior secretary, D.C. Councilmember At-Large Robert C. White, Jr., Marla Allard, the host of public television’s “Relatively Speaking,” CNN chief political correspondent Dana Bash, Overseas Private Investment Corporation CEO David Bohigian, CEO of Christie Strategies Ron Christie, editor at large of The Atlantic Steve Clemons, performer Maggie Coons, John Feehery of EFB Advocacy, “West Wing” actress Melissa Fitzgerald, President of Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Small Business Christina Sevilla, Deputy Managing Editor at The Weekly Standard Kelly Jane Torrance and actor Heath Saunders.

This story was corrected on June 14 at 2:07 p.m.