Henderson couple so ‘cavelike’ they’ll be married on ‘Defending the Caveman’ stage

By Jerry Fink

Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008 | 2 a.m.

The producers of “Defending the Caveman” held a nationwide search for the “most cavelike couple” and found the winners in Henderson.

Henderson City Councilman Jack Clark and his fiancee, Olga Binyons, will be married onstage at the Golden Nugget on Labor Day weekend.

“They had to profess their love in 50 words or less,” producer John Bentham says.

Clark and Binyons were actually second choice. The original winners couldn’t attend the ceremony, Bentham says, because one of them is in the military and deployed to Iraq.

The marriage will take place on the “Caveman” stage following the

3 p.m. performance Aug. 31. The couple’s prizes include two nights at the Nugget, a tuxedo, a wedding dress and tickets to the show for 100 friends.

And a free wedding performed by “Caveman” star Kevin Burke.

“It’s going to be a serious wedding,” says Burke, who is an ordained minister. “We’re not going to make a mockery of the institution of marriage. It’s going to be a fun ceremony, but a serious ceremony.”

More than a ‘Caveman’

Burke has been an ordained minister for three years but has never performed a wedding. His one-man show keeps him pretty busy — shows every night plus matinees on Saturdays and Sundays.

It’s a rough schedule, but Burke isn’t complaining.

“As with everything in show business, you make hay while the sun shines,” he says. “Ever since I was a kid I wanted my own show in Las Vegas, and since nothing lasts forever, I’m enjoying this as much as I can while I’m here.”

Which could be a long time. The 300-plus-seat showroom is usually almost full, if not sold out.

Skeptics didn’t give the show much of a chance when it debuted in June 2007. No singing, dancing, lions or rhinestones — just one man on a stage with a few simple props dressed in jeans and a casual shirt.

Rob Becker’s play has had more than 500 performances in Las Vegas. It debuted in San Francisco in 1991 and spent a couple of years on Broadway before hitting the touring circuit. More than 8 million people worldwide have seen a production of “Defending the Caveman.”

“The show is always evolving,” Burke says. “We’re always trying to make it just a little bit better, run a little bit tighter. In that regard we’re always tweaking.”

Burke was never skeptical about the show’s chances.

“We’re different from everything else in Las Vegas. We’re a show that builds up relationships and speaks to the people personally in a way most other shows don’t. I knew we were going to do well. I knew Las Vegas audiences would embrace us because we are so different.”

Details: “Defending the Caveman”; 8 p.m. daily, 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; Golden Nugget; $46.95 to $65.98; 386-8100

Around town

Drop by Take 1 on a Sunday afternoon and catch the Gents of Swing, featuring drummer Larry “Wild” Wrice, keyboardist Joe Darro, bassist Dick Straub and saxophonist King Bartell. A lot of musicians drop by to join in the fun — Joyce Carrol, Christine Wiltshire, 13-year-old Khalil Sharieff, Nic Mistrangelo, Marsha K and many others hang out at the restaurant/theater. (Music starts at 1 p.m.; 707 E. Fremont St.; 433-8253) ... Vocalist Paul Stubblefield performs Mondays at RE Tapas Lounge, a restaurant praised by local epicure Les Kincaid as having “great food and wonderful tapas menu with selections just like in Spain.” (9 p.m. Mondays, 467 E. Silverado Ranch Blvd. near Silverado Ranch and Bermuda Road) ... Mark Giovi kicks off a dinner theater program at DeStefano’s on Sept. 7. (Dinner at 6 p.m., show at 7:30 p.m. (3430 E. Tropicana Ave.; $30; 436-3275, destefanoslv.com) ... “Broadway Our Way Revival 2008,” a showcase of songs and dances from Broadway musicals, comes to the Reed Whipple Cultural Center on Sept. 6. The cast — ages 57 to 93 — calls itself the Encore Follie. (4 p.m. Sept. 6; Reed Whipple Cultural Center, 821 N. Las Vegas Blvd.; $7; 229-6211)