By Mark Eckel, Player Engagement Insider
Dorsey Levens remembers being in a dance show when he was in
elementary school, or at least he was supposed to be in the dance show.
“It was fourth or fifth grade,’’ the 11-year NFL running back said. “We were
doing this dance for school. There were three boys and three girls. We had
practiced for it and then it was night of the show. I looked out at the crowd
and I panicked.
“I couldn’t do it and I didn’t do it. There was no way I was going out on that
stage. The girls, who was my partner, started crying. She punched me a
couple of times. But I just got so scared, so stage fright.’’
Some 35, or so, years later and after a NFL career that saw him rush for
close to 5,000 yards, gain close to 7,500 total yards, play in 19 playoff
games, three Super Bowls, a Pro Bowl, and grace the cover of “Madden’’
Levens finally got on that stage.
The former Green Bay Packers star, who also played a couple of years with
the Philadelphia Eagles and a year with the New York Giants, is now an
actor, both on screen and stage.
He just finished touring with Tyler Perry’s “Madea on the Run’’ from August
to the end of the November appearing everywhere from New York to
Atlanta to Oakland, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia.
And is ready to go back on tour again with the cast in February.
He’s had cameo roles in feature films, “We Are Marshall’’ and “Three Can
Play that Game’’ and has a role in a British movie, Gridiron UK, that has not
been released yet.
“I don’t want to say when it’s coming out, because it’s been postponed a
few times already,’’ Levens said with a chuckle. “It will be out soon,
though.’’
Levens final season in the NFL was 2004 when he helped the Eagles get to
Super Bowl XXXIX. It was also around then that his acting career started.
“Toward the end of my career I started taking acting lessons,’’ he said. “I
was always a big movie buff. It was something I wanted to do to satisfy my
curiosity.’’
In 2006 he got the cameo in “We Are Marshall’’ the story of the Marshall
University plane crash and the rebuilding of the program; and a year later
played Rick in “Three Can Play that Game’’, the Vivica A. Fox romantic
comedy.
He also wrote and starred in the stage production of “Bellrung’’ and cowrote
and starred in “Stripped’’ both of those stories are about the rigors of
life in football. He was also in “Torn’’ a contemporary Christian drama about
modern relationships.
“I’m having a great time,’’ Levens said. “It’s a different world (from football).
But I really do enjoy it.’’
While playing a part in a play, or movie, is certainly not the same as getting
20 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown. There is the similarity of
performing and performing in front of large audiences. Something that
scared the elementary-school Levens.
“Football did get me over my stage fright,’’ he said. “You're out there every
week in front of a big crowd and then millions more watching at home. But
what I like most about acting is getting outside of myself, getting to be
someone else. It’s the most challenging part, too.’’