Comedy to explore male/female relationships 'Defending the Caveman'

The Theater League is bringing Rob Becker's "Defending the Caveman" to Thousand Oaks. The show, geared for mature audiences, stars Chris Sullivan as a peacemaker trying to shed light on the misunderstandings between men and women.

Sullivan, who lives in Los Angeles, graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a bachelor's degree in Theatre Arts. He also studied at The Oxford School of Drama, taking classes in Shakespeare and British methods of acting.

Sullivan's insightful exploration of the ways men and women struggle to relate never fails to elicit roars of laughter and nods of recognition from the audience, according to Scotty Mullen, spokesperson for the Theater League. The comedy brings home the reality that men and women truly are different, but that it isn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Defending the Caveman" premiered in San Francisco in June 1991 and then moved to Dallas for a full year run. The show went on to extended soldout engagements in Washington, DC; Philadelphia; and Chicago before opening on Broadway in March 1995.

With its 702 performances at the Helen Hayes Theater, "Defending the Caveman" entered the record books as the longestrunning solo play in Broadway history.

After 12 years, nearly 2 million people, and over 2,000 performances in more than 40 cities, "Defending the Caveman" is coming to Thousand Oaks.

The show is hosted by the Theater League and the Thousand Oaks Best Western Inn.

Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. Tues., April 18 through Fri., April 21. On Sat., April 23 and Sun., April 24 performances will begin at 7 p.m. with matinees at 2 p.m..

Tickets can be purchased at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Countrywide Performing Arts Center, via Ticketmaster at (805) 583-8700, or online at www.theaterleague.com. For special group rates, call (866) 31GROUP.

--Sylvie Belmond