Inside Iowa State

March 9, 2007

Football star tackles new role with ISU Theatre

by Dave Gieseke, LAS Public Relations

E! True Hollywood 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, 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 ISU Theatre's production of Intimate Apparel, in which she plays the character Mayme.

"We did the audition right there in the hospital room," Curvey said. "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 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 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.

It isn't that Curvey hadn't been on the stage prior to his audition. He acted in a few high school productions, but never had more than a supporting role. As his football career blossomed on the collegiate level, thoughts of acting fell 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 still is a big part of his life, however.

He's preparing for March 20, when professional football scouts come to Ames to work out the graduating seniors in a series of skill sets. He's running and lifting weights before school. After classes, it's on to rehearsals from 6 to 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."

In Intimate Apparel, Curvey plays George, described as "a handsome Barbadian laborer" who corresponds by letters with Esther, an African-American seamstress who creates exquisite lingerie for the elite of the city. When the two finally meet, they discover that neither is who the other thought they were.

"The play is pretty cool," said Curvey, who is a double major in criminal justice and sociology. "I've gotten into it and I really like the role I play."

Intimate Apparel will be performed at the Maintenence Shop March 22-24 at 7:30 p.m. and on March 25 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for seniors and $7 for students.

"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."

-Brent Curvey