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Bringing Our Heart to Our Work

by Mario A. Campanaro

Bringing Our Heart to Our Work

by Mario A. Campanaro

Let’s have a “heart to heart” discussion about what it truly means to bring our heart to our work. Despite what many may think, the actor’s craft is not simply about stepping onto a stage or screen to recite lines that a writer has written. There is no art in that alone—only the skill of memorization. Of course, we must first use the foundational tools that allow us to connect deeply to the world of the text. But once that work is done, the actor is called to live their most private essence in a very public way, as it relates to the given circumstances of the story.

The text is an incredible skeleton just waiting to be breathed into. And the actor is the brave soul who breathes life into that skeleton. This asks of us to share a piece of our heart, mind, body, and spirit with the world of the text. Given the nature of what we do and the circumstances we reveal, we will inevitably confront aspects of ourselves that we may have closed off for one reason or another. It is no secret that the blocks and obstacles we face in our everyday lives will somehow appear in our work. Why? Because we are asked to live in our work. The only way to live in it is by using our own instrument—our experiences, observations, research, and, of course, the power of imagination.

You are the instrument of life in the work. You and your heart are the battery that fuels it. To do this profound work, you must sometimes endure emotional warfare in order to fully embrace the journey the writer has crafted for the character. You must go through internal exploration to gain a visceral understanding of what you're being asked to live and reveal, so the truth can be brought to life in the work.

At times, this means facing our own personal obstacles, pain, and, in some cases, doing some healing. It means working on unresolved parts of ourselves outside of the work, in a safe and appropriate environment, so that we can experience a sense of wholeness and bring more to our performances.

Now, let me be very clear: I do not believe that acting or acting class should ever serve as therapy (even though, in some ways, it may feel therapeutic for some). However, I do believe that our work asks us to constantly evolve. It asks us to look at and heal our wounds. It asks us to be courageously aware of what has been shut down within us, and what has been turned off. It demands we discern what of our personal experience can be used in the work and what absolutely should not. This awareness allows us to make informed choices, so we can safely and sanely bring powerful, truthful life to our work.

It is the actor’s responsibility to be aware of what they need to work on within themselves to maintain a healthy, grounded instrument. This is a lifelong job, as life will continue to throw challenges that need healing. The more you work on yourself, the more you will bring to your craft. But it must be done. You have to always be working on yourself and taking care of yourself.

At the end of the day, our instrument is that beautifully complex life force that animates a character that only exists on the written page. And as an actor, you are the creative warrior who volunteers to bring that character to life.