Michael Van Osch doesn't mind doing all the grunt work in
Defending the Caveman when he stars in the one-man comedy for three performances at Playhouse Square this weekend. "Being alone in a performance is really not a problem, when you love the limelight," says Van Osch, who plays a Fred Flintstone-like couch potato and Stone Age ambassador for the dudes in a cultural battle of the sexes. "The best part is seeing these couples in the audience laughing together. We explore the differences between the sexes in a way that no one is wrong or right, just different."A former sports-marketing guru in Ontario, Van Osch used to work on projects like the Winter Olympics and soccer's World Cup. Then, in 2004, he caught the acting bug and moved to New York City. In one of his first auditions, he landed the Caveman role in the 90-minute play, which has since become the longest-running solo show in Broadway history. "I didn't know it would be such a hit. It just started to snowball from that point," says Van Osch. "There's no complaining here. I've been busy ever since."And the fun is in keeping the man vs. woman debate fresh by constantly spicing up the show with new pieces of couples advice. After four years of updating the monologue, Van Osch says even a caveman can do it. "We don't bash men or women," he says. "We
celebrate them." Showtime is at 5 and 8:30 tonight, and 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Ohio Theatre, 1501 Euclid Avenue. Tickets are $35 to $45. Call 216-241-6000 or visit
www.playhousesquare.org.
Sat., Feb. 9, 5 & 8:30 p.m.; Sun., Feb. 10, 7 p.m., 2008
