INTERVIEW: Carter Lee Iddings, "The Tall Girls"
Carter Lee Iddings (Haunt Johnny)
Carter Lee Iddings is is a third-year Theatre major from Dallas, GA. This is his first role with UGA Theatre. He is playing the role of Haunt Johnny in The Tall Girls.
Who is Haunt Johnny to you?
I figure Johnny out a little bit more each day. He’s mysterious. He has a past that he doesn’t share with many people. He’s unpredictable and volatile. He’s the kind of guy that makes a run for it anytime the going gets tough. The interesting thing about Johnny to me is the ways in which he can make such rash decisions so spontaneously. He’s a character that’s all about trying to be in control.
What are your favorite things about Haunt Johnny? What are you least favorite things about him?
Johnny is by no means a role model. There’s not much, if anything, to like about him. As an actor, it is a great challenge to play someone who is as excitable and intense as Johnny is, but he’s not a great guy. I don’t want to give anymore of it away, but come see the show and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Have you played a sport previously? If so, what did you play? How does it affect you as an actor in rehearsal?
I played some sports as a kid, basketball, baseball, and flag football, but fairly early on I decided they weren’t for me. Most of my experience with sports growing was that my dad was an announcer for the local high school, so I got to go to a lot of games and practices for football, basketball, and baseball. I definitely observed the culture around team sports and tried to funnel that energy (especially the energy I got from the coaches) into Haunt Johnny.
What is it like being in your first UGA Theatre show?
It’s a huge honor. I’m so thankful to get to work with this cast, our amazing director Anna Pieri, and the countless other people that make it possible for me to play pretend everyday.
Why do you think this play is important to today? What makes it relevant?
For me, this a play about hope, and how to keep hope alive in the face of oppression and abuse. It’s about having that one thing, needing that one thing, that keeps us going, which is something that I think we’ve all felt.
The Tall Girls opens September 21st and runs through September 30th in the Cellar Theatre. Tickets are $16, $12 for students and can be purchased here.