NI performer on 'full circle moment' taking to Grand Opera House stage in Rocky Horror Show
Connor takes to the stage at Brad in Rocky Horror Show later this summer
A Co Down performer is ready to make his professional debut on one of Northern Ireland's most iconic stages at Rocky Horror rolls into Belfast next month.
Richard O’Brien’s legendary rock ‘n’ roll musical, The Rocky Horror Show, returns to the Grand Opera House following its sell-out run in August 2023, with Killinchy man Connor Carson centre stage.
Also performing at Derry's Millennium Forum, Connor is excited to come home to give crowds a fun night out as he performs as Brad in the cult classic musical.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Connor explained how he has his sights set on a career in medicine before performing in his first school musical when he was only 14 and everything changed.
He said: I'd always sung but not in any official capacity, but as soon as I did that show, I kind of got the bug for it and then joined a lot of local groups and started doing two or three shows a year as well as the school shows.
"I just fell in love with it and then realised that I didn't want to do medicine anymore and because my heart wasn't in it and realised I wasn't passionate about it - I just thought if I'm going to do something else, it needs to be something that I'm really passionate about.
"I thought about what do I really enjoy in my life and what do I I love doing and that was singing and acting and doing shows, so I withdrew my medical applications and took a year off."
Connor was then offered a spot at his dream drama school, Guildford School of Acting, where he spent three years training before going out to work professionally for the past eight years.
Touring with Rocky Horror from May now until September, Connor wasn't actually that familiar with the show or the 1975 film when he auditioned for the role.
"It's been a real eye-opener as to just how much of a cult classic it is, how dearly everyone holds it and how much it means to people," he explained.
"It's such a funny show and has so much heart and has so many great messages about being yourself - there's just kind of something for everyone in it and the music's just timeless.
"Everyone has such a party coming and doing the Time Warp in the auditorium with us on stage and singing along. It's just such a fun show to do every night and we have so much fun."
The anticipation is building for his run at the Grand Opera House from July 21-26, which he described as a "full circle moment" because it was the first place he ever saw a professional production and now it's his time to shine on the stage for the first time in his career.
He continued: "It's going to be the first time that my grandma's been able to come and watch a show because all my other shows have been over in England or abroad.
"It's going to be the first time that she's going to be able to come and watch me professionally, so that's gonna be really special as well.
"One of the great things about this career is that you get to travel a lot and see a lot of the world and through what I've done, I've literally been all over the globe so it's been really cool.
"But it's also nice then whenever you come home and are reminded where you come from as well and your roots - it's nice to snap back to that time, I love it."
With dreams to play Jean Valjean in the future, he has already achieved one of his dreams when he played Raoul in Phantom of the Opera on the West End.
Connor shared a story which showed that dream was another full circle moment in his career.
He said: "It was such a special moment, but actually my primary school teacher Mrs Hayes whenever we were leaving P7 gave a certificate to every pupil with a 'child most likely to' and filled out individual ones for the class.
I hadn't planned on performing or anything at this stage but she wrote on mine 'Most Likely to play Phantom of the Opera on Broadway' and I ended up playing Raoul on the West End."
Connor was able to get back in contact with Mrs Hayes after his debut and tell her the news that she manifested big things for him which he said she was "ecstatic" to hear about.
"She was so pleased and proud, and it was just a really, really lovely awesome moment," he added.
If you'd like to see Connor perform in Rocky Horror Show in Belfast or Derry, find out more here
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