Our Work and the Human Condition

Our Work and the Human Condition

by Mario A. Campanaro

It’s so easy for us to go through our lives without awareness. It’s easy to roll our eyes, judge people, and allow resistance to be our “safe space.” Resistance creates an illusion of safety because it doesn't ask us to confront the things standing in the way of our growth. And because it's easy, we often stay resistant. It's easy not to want to deal with the things that keep us stagnant. However, one of the most important things we must do as actors and artists is to develop our awareness and ask difficult, complex questions about the human condition. Awareness is the key to understanding why our characters do what they do. It is what allows us to find the humanity within the text, turning what is written on a page into something that breathes, waiting for us to give it life.

It’s tempting to think our work is only about learning lines—just black and white letters on a page. But as any respectful artist with integrity knows, that’s not the case. Our awareness and exploration of why we do what we do, why we feel the way we feel, what we ultimately want, and why we want it, are what will help us tap into the life of the character and understand why they do what they do. This extends beyond characters on the written page. In life, we often do things because of unresolved issues, consciously or unconsciously creating relationships in an attempt to resolve those issues or seek “payback” for past wounds. These relationships may not be accountable for the pain we still hold on to, but they are a reflection of the unresolved parts of ourselves.

When we understand this about complex relationships in the real world, we begin to see, understand, and justify why relationships exist in the stories we bring to life. We understand why characters behave the way they do within those relationships or because of them, and the historical circumstances that have shaped them. All of this is part of the process of finding resolution within the story and the character. Our awareness of these dynamics is the key to understanding and fully embodying the human condition in our work.

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