Myles Carter
"Hopeless x Worth It"
- When did you first discover theater/what was your first experience?
My older sister was in a production of Seussical when I was in elementary school. Watching that show is one of the only things I remember about that time period. The Cat in the Hat did crowd work (fostering my fear of audience participation), the Sour Kangaroo blew everyone away, the Wickershams went bananas, and finally that lonely elephant waded through it all, just trying to find a friend, which resonated with young boy me like not much else could. I was envious that my sister got to be a part of that gorgeous, silly, musical world and wanted nothing more than to be a part of it too.
- When/how did you become a writer? Is there a writer, show, or text that particularly inspired you?
I had been writing skits and composing small pieces throughout high school but I didn't start taking writing seriously until one of my acting professors read a journal entry of mine, said he liked my voice and thought I should start writing my own stuff... then the pandemic happened so I had an infinite amount of time! I took inspiration from all of my favorite things at the time: the Hamilton proshot, "Legends Never Die" by JuiceWRLD, old Bo Burnham clips, professional wrestling, etc. The sound, structure, and vibes of all of these things shaped the art I made at the time, and things just blossomed from there!
- How do you describe your style/work?
When it comes to music, selfishly enough I just try to write music that I like listening to. The Rnb, Hip-Hop, and Soul influences that I grew up on mixed with the intimate and meticulous storytelling ingredients that made us all fall in love with theatre. Catchy melodies and beats you can vibe with performed by characters you can root for (or root against). I love writing songs that sound just as good out of context as they do in context!
- What is most rewarding to you about writing music?
The feeling of a harmony clicking into place at just the right moment. The release you feel when you realize what a character had ACTUALLY been singing about the whole time. The rush you feel when a song is ramping up to a climax. That bass turn that makes your face scrunch up so hard you become a different person. The beat that makes you bop your head before you even realize you're moving. The satisfaction you get when the bridge transitions back into the chorus. Getting to make people feel all the things you felt while writing. Best feeling in the world.