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Big play Curvey
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Football star Brent Curvey tackles a new role with ISU Theatre.
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"E! Hollywood True Story" will love this true-life story if
Brent Curvey ever becomes a professional actor.
Curvey was at the hospital after the birth of his son three months ago.
His girlfriend, Tiann Taylor, is a performing arts major at Iowa State
and one of the visitors that first day was Sarah Zwick-Tapley, an instructor
in ISU Theatre.
Taylor had been after Curvey to audition for a role in the ISU Theatre's
production of "Intimate Apparel," a production in which she
plays the character "Mayme."
"We did the audition right there in the hospital room," says
Curvey. "I kind of fell into the role."
Zwick-Tapley was impressed by how Curvey handled that audition and cast
him as "George" in "Intimate Apparel," the award-winning
American drama set in the tenements of New York City in 1905.
"Brent was really unbelievably focused," she said. "He
did a great job at the audition and has continued to do so in rehearsals."
That may be surprising to many since Curvey is known more for his talents
on the football field rather than on the stage. A four-year starting defensive
lineman for the Cyclones, Curvey was known as "Big Play Curvey"
for his game-changing abilities.
But it wasn't like Curvey hadn't been on the stage prior to his audition.
He acted in a few productions while in high school but never had more
than a supporting role.
As his football career blossomed on the collegiate level, thoughts of
acting went by the wayside.
"Football is so time consuming," he said. "I wouldn't have
been able to make it to rehearsals even if I wanted to. It was my goal
to act again on the collegiate level just to see what the difference is."
Curvey is able to make time for play rehearsals this semester because
he has completed his football eligibility. Football is still part of his
life however.
This spring, he's working out preparing for the Cyclone's "Pro Day"
when professional football scouts come to Ames to workout the graduating
seniors in a series of skill sets. Now instead of football practice in
the afternoon, he's running and lifting weights at 7:30 a.m., Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays. After classes, it's on to rehearsals from 6-9
p.m. each evening.
"It's kind of hectic with football, the play and a newborn,"
he said, "but we're making it work."
"Pro Day" is March 20, just days before "Intimate Apparel"
opens at the M-Shop.
In "Intimate Apparel," Curvey plays "George," who
is described as "a handsome Barbadian laborer who corresponds by
letters with ‘Esther,' an African-American seamstress." When the
couple finally meets they discover that neither is who the other thought
they were.
"The play is pretty cool," says Curvey, who is a double major
in criminal justice and sociology. "I've gotten into it and I really
like the role I play. I've enjoyed learning how people get into their
characters."
But while he's enjoyed his time on the stage, Curvey is realistic about
the future.
"Right now it's my football career that is going to take me places,"
he said. "Acting is a one in a million shot so I have to focus on
football. Still I've put my all into the play and who knows? Maybe I'll
take a stab at it someday and see what happens."
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Brent Curvey
Around LAS
March 5-25, 2007
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