Orem couple opts for life on the stage
This Orem couple’s story is nearly normal. She is from the East Coast (North Carolina) and he from the West Coast (Southern California), and they met in Provo. They got married nine years ago, bought a home and have four children. That’s about where the normal ends for Curt and Tonia Doussett.
What brought these two together and what keeps them grounded in Utah County is ComedySportz at 36 W. Center in Provo.
Eleven years ago, Tonia, then single, purchased the Utah franchise rights to ComedySportz. Although her real dream was to do films and television, she pursued making the club a lucrative entertainment offering.
“I called around after training [to find improvisational actors],” she said. “I called Hale Center Theater Orem and they gave me one name: Curt’s.”
Comedy improvisation wasn’t what Curt was interested in. He had been doing shows at Hale Center Theater Orem and Sundance Resort for 10 years.
“He decided to do it because he’d never tried it before,” she said. The end result was a great comedy “referee” for the club — and a husband for Tonia.
Celebrating ComedySportz’s 10th anniversary in Provo this year, the Doussetts said the improv comedy club keeps them busier than ever. Not only are they occupied preparing for weekend shows, but they also offer workshops, long-form improv shows and on-site entertaining.
But that’s not all. While Tonia has opted to tend the children, do the laundry, the shopping and pay the bills, Curt has been allowed to follow his dream. He may look familiar to many readers. He has starred in several movies with local interest including “The R.M.,” “Saints and Soldiers,” “Church Ball,” and “Sons of Provo.” He also has a list of TV shows he has been on including “CSI: Miami,” “Touched by an Angel,” “Phil of the Future,” and Disney Channel’s telefilm “Go Figure.” He has two movies soon to be released, “Scout Camp,” and “One Good Man.” He also has another project in post-production and is looking at other TV opportunities in the near future.
Curt’s big break came in 2007 when he was chosen to host Discovery Channel’s “Hazard Pay,” a nine-episode adventure introducing the public to some of the most hazardous jobs on the planet. One of his most memorable episodes was one in which workers climbed an impossibly high radio tower to do repairs.
“It was one of the five tallest towers in the U.S., in Raleigh, N.C.,” he said. “It took six hours to climb, and they knew a storm was coming.”
One of the reasons the Doussetts love having the comedy club in Provo is the clean environment and “family friendly” comedy that audiences can enjoy.
“Clean standards work with our faith,” Tonia said. “I didn’t grow up dreaming to be a comedy club owner, but I love the spontaneity of improv.” If a member of the audience curses or ventures into the inappropriate, there is a reserved brown bag for him to wear on his head, she said.
Only one time, other than at the club, have the two performed together. “The stars aligned for us to do one play together, ‘See How They Run,’ at the Hale Center Theater Orem,” Tonia said. “I would love to do that play again or another one.”
Curt agreed that working on the same stage with his wife was fun.
Dreams are still in the making for the Doussett family. Curt always wanted his own theater, and he has it right now in ComedySportz. They’re both making sacrifices so that they can both live the way they want to — being involved in the stage scene that they love.
“Seven years ago I had a really good corporate job,” Curt said. “Both of us were working full-time.”
Things change, and as Tonia says, “Our hearts are in performing, not the corporate world.”
So for now, Tonia works at her home in Orem and the club in Provo. Curt works out of Los Angeles most weeks Monday through Thursday morning. The rest of the week, the family is together laughing — and getting others to bust up at ComedySportz.
