A new perspective to political history

“(In) the debate we would like to see, each candidate would answer the question, ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’ ” Elaina Newport, a co-founder and a writer for the show, said in a phone interview.

“Romney would answer, ‘To get to the Cayman Islands.’ Obama would say ‘because that road was built with stimulus money.”

	If you go WHAT: Capitol Steps WHEN: 3 p.m. Nov. 4 WHERE: Popejoy Hall, Center for the Arts, UNM campus HOW MUCH: $20, $34 and $44 in advance at ticket offices in the UNM Bookstore and the Pit, at www.unmtickets.com or popejoypresents.com, at area Albertsons supermarkets, by calling 925-5858 or toll-free 877-664-8661 or at the door

That question is posed in Capitol Steps’ show that will be presented Nov. 4 at Popejoy Hall.

Though the spoof of the debate is a skit, most of the show is a series of songs that move from hot topic to another.

The five performers in the show portray dozens of characters. Capitol Steps draws on a pool of about 25 performers so it can present as many as four shows at one time. The closer the show gets to the general election the more opportunities to update the performance with the late-breaking public embarrassments.

“If something happens in the afternoon the performers may have to work it in that night’s show,” Newport said.

The current show has a medley of songs from the musical “Grease.” One of the songs is about the debt crisis in Greece, she said.

“You start to think of what to write about next week, then somebody tweaks their underwear and you’re off and running,” Newport said.

The ensemble’s recent song parodies include “Help Me Fake It to the Right,” which is about Romney’s plea to the GOP, and “If I Tax a Rich Man,” which is about President Obama’s “class warfare.”

Capitol Steps does more shows during election years but it still performs even when it’s an off year.

“A lot of stuff happens in in-between years. The politicians don’t sit down and be quietly competent. Thank goodness for us,” she said.

To Newport, one of the fun moments in the show is an original song summarizing 30 years of politician miscues and missteps in three minutes.

“We end the show with this carnage. That’s the only to put it,” Newport said. “It has every scandal we could think of in the last 30 years.”