We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Olivia Carter a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Olivia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents made it clear that their love for me was entirely separate from my artistic abilities, and because of that, I was able to see more clearly any artistic failure or triumph. I was raised by two artists and professional, classical musicians in the 90s without the social media distractions that young people today are burdened with. I’m sure most artists have a tangled sense of self-esteem and identity, but I am especially prone to going back and forth between absolute self-doubt and an inappropriately sized ego. My parents modeled for me a constant and steady dedication to excellence; a rigorous pursuit of truth and beauty in the arts. They taught me that I could improve – I wasn’t perfect at the thing I wanted to do just because I wanted to do it. I could (and ought to) try my hand a something, stick to it for a while and see what comes of it.
My parents had me start playing cello when I was very little and asked that I carry on with orchestra and lessons at least until I was fourteen. I wanted to quit studying cello at twelve and then again at thirteen but my mother had the wisdom to make me continue until I had something else in mind that I wanted to work on. So at fourteen, I set down my cello and picked up voice. I love to sing and while putting the pressure of study on something you love can make it monotonous, I also saw that all that rigor could lead to improvement.
I stuck with my classical vocal studies and that led to work in the theater which turned out to be my great love.
Focused and productive daily practice is not as obvious when it comes to working as an actor. And without the model, my parents set for me: practicing for hours every day in an effort to move toward improvement and excellence, I would be lost.
Olivia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
A piece of advice was given to me once by a classical, baroque choral conductor: You must not call yourself an “aspiring artist”. You must call yourself an artist. You must call yourself an actor because that is what you are.
Bette Davis was an Actor. Pina Bausch was an Artist. So to use that same word to refer to myself and my artistic striving has always made me a little bashful. But I also think it helps to place myself in a theatrical tradition. The title requires something of me.
This is a long way of saying hello, my name is Olivia Carter and I am an actor and theater artist. I also love to sing and use movement for expression and telling stories.
I did my undergraduate degree in Communication/Theater at a small liberal arts college near Chicago. I worked as an actor and bartender in the city for a couple of years before going back to school for my MFA in Acting at the University of California, Irvine.
I am fascinated by classical visual art and the great work of Shakespeare, Pinter, Tarkovsky, and Hitchcock.
I believe that stories should be told with purpose and consideration to the many sides of human experience – acknowledging how often humor and lightness can exist even in the midst of suffering and peril.
I love adopting accents for different roles, finding the place where my life meets with a written character, and getting to play pretend for a while. I have learned not to take myself too seriously but to spend as much time as possible on the work set before me in order to see what can come out of it.
I love to collaborate. It is my dream to start a theater ensemble with my husband who is an exceptional artist and a playwright.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal is to create theater that is so innovative and truthful that people cannot help but be transported by it. I want to tell new stories that honestly reflect universal human desires and fears. I want to tell excellent, old stories for the wisdom they still contain. I want to pay close attention to who my audience is and whether or not they are moved and delighted – and if not, what is the remedy?
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Performing has always been an incredibly gratifying experience for me and it is still my favorite part of being an artist! Participating in the run of a play is particularly rewarding. Embarking on the same journey over and over again for weeks or months makes me feel like I have the ability to slow down time. Feels like a superpower. I had an acting student once ask me how they could stop a role from impacting their life. And I don’t think you really can completely – that’s why it is important to consider roles you take on thoughtfully!
Every character I have devoted energy towards understanding and playing honestly has impacted my life. It’s like going on a long road trip with someone – chances are you’ll rub off on each other at least a little.
In the end, I think it is a privilege to have such characters as Juliet, Nina, and Blanche grace me with their respective stories. Maybe that makes me sound a little sentimental, but I’m a better performer because of them.
Contact Info:
- Website: oliviachristinecarter.com
- Instagram: @oliviawildercarter
Image Credits
Sean Kara, Stephanie Girard