The tiny, yet formidable Barbara Flynn Currie shimmying across a stage in an electric blue feather boa. A bring-down-the house riff on Del Shannon’s “Runaway” the year Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley forced the closing of Meigs Field Airport. A still-poignant “Wizard of Oz” theme. And, yes, a lot of pinot grigio.
Want to reminisce more? Check out the 2007 Capitol Capers performance in full here.
At a time before a rancorous partisan divide gripped Illinois and the nation at large, and a pay-to-play corruption probe led to the downfall of some of the state’s biggest power players, a bipartisan women’s group was responsible for bringing Democrats and Republicans together through legislation, advocacy, and hearty laughs at their bi-annual Capitol Capers performance.
The Conference of Women Legislators was formed in 1979 to advance the interests of women at a time when just 27 of them were members of the General Assembly. By 2000, that number had increased to 45 women. Today, it stands at 73, slightly down from an all-time high of 78 during the 102nd General Assembly of 2021-22, records show.
* We clipped one of the skits, a super-cringey ode to ComEd. Woof…
Rolling in dough
Pleasing shareholders
The ICC, they went right along
Finally a chance to say ‘Hey, an auction’
Never again will prices be low.
And you jacked up my rates
You give me fees to add on
You made me pay more
To keep me cool
Or warm
5 Comments
- Give Me A Break - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 10:34 am:
Those were the days. Seems like it should be simple, put aside differences for an evening, enjoy good company and some hilarity that raises money for a good cause.
There were even times the former speaker would crack a smile and sing a little along the lines of My Girl. Michelle Mussman in pigtails was something that brought the house down too.
We lost so much of being able to just enjoy life in Springfield during session.
- Give Me A Break - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 10:34 am:
Those were the days. Seems like it should be simple, put aside differences for an evening, enjoy good company and some hilarity that raises money for a good cause.
There were even times the former speaker would crack a smile and sing a little along the lines of My Girl. Michelle Mussman in pigtails was something that brought the house down too.
We lost so much of being able to just enjoy life in Springfield during session.
- Amalia - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:04 am:
LOL Memories. Great stuff.
- JoanP - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:27 am:
= Barbara Flynn Currie shimmying across a stage in an electric blue feather boa =
She was always pretty good dressed as Uncle Sam in the Hyde Park Fourth of July parade.
- Democrat Grrrl - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 2:33 pm:
Boy, I miss the camaraderie that was present in those days.
- Suzie - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 4:56 pm:
So incredibly sad to compare the bipartisan work that was accomplished in those days, vs the almost paralysis in too many legislatures today.