Meet Isa Condo-Olvera

We were lucky to catch up with Isa Condo-Olvera recently and have shared our conversation below.

Isa, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Oof. I don’t think I’m anywhere close to overcoming it entirely, but there are definitely days where I get a lot closer. There’s several things that are helpful to me. One of the experiences that triggers imposter syndrome for me is feeling like I am not as skilled as the people around me, or I don’t know as much. The way I overcome that feeling is by choosing to view it as a gift. What a blessing to be surrounded by people I can learn from! It also makes me just work harder. Maybe not everything is coming to me as easily as it appears to be coming to the people around me, but I do anything within my power to try to get on their level. And that’s one of my favorite feelings, honestly; I love feeling challenged. And then the next time, it’ll feel a little bit easier because I’ll come into the experience having the past one under my belt.

Honestly, one of my favorite things is being surrounded by people I know are better, more knowledgeable, more experienced. This past year I performed in my first opera, and I felt that way, surrounded by people with a lot more musical skill and know-how. And as my career develops and branches out, I feel that way in so many different ways. I’ve been very lucky, a lot of people have been willing to invest in me, even before I’ve explored my fullest potential.

That’s the other biggest thing to battling imposter syndrome is I’ve leaned on other people. I’ve also been extremely fortunate in that regard, the most talented, intelligent people I’ve worked with have also been some of the most kind. My first professional job in the US, I was an understudy at the Guthrie Theater and sat alongside the brilliant actor Sally Wingert as she shared her snacks with me and imparted little bits of wisdom. Regina Marie Williams beautifully lead that production, and I remember her warm introduction to me as we both did our groceries at Trader Joe’s. My first professional callback ever was for Steven Spielberg, and he introduced himself to me as he was walking his sweet dog. I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by many kind geniuses in my professional career, but they taught me a simple thing:

At the end of the day, we are all humans. I can appreciate the brilliance of other humans and feel grateful I get to bask in their presence, but at the end of the day, I am as worthy of taking up space as they are. I’m just lucky enough to be in a position to learn from them.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am an actor born and raised in San José, Costa Rica to a Mexican mom and an Ecuadorian dad. I was raised on books, musicals and good food, and stories were the most important part of my childhood. I worked professionally within the growing musical theatre industry in Costa Rica as a teenager, and then decided to move to Minneapolis and
further hone my craft at the UMN Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program, where I got to dive deep into classical theatre and my love of language.

Revitalizing classical texts by bringing my whole self into the roles has been a rewarding experience. Some of my recent roles in classical theatre include Iphigenia in “Iphigenia at Aulis” with Ten Thousand Things and Miranda in “The Tempest” at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. During my time in school, I developed a passion for writing, dialect work, translation (Spanish to English and vice-versa), people-watching, and love. These interests all came together in my first play, a one-woman bilingual verbatim piece that I’m continuing to develop.

Spanish is my first language, so I jump at chances to represent Latine folk authentically through detailed language and dialect work. Last year, working on “Laughs in Spanish” at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre was a special highlight, artistically and personally. Collaborating with brilliant Latine artists to tell a joyful, funny and authentic story about complex Latine characters and relationships was incredibly meaningful. Recently, I’ve enjoyed bringing my identity to new works and workshops at the Playwrights’ Center, contributing to the evolving theatre landscape. Being a Latin American artist comes with its own set of challenges, especially in terms of accessibility to the arts. I would say my specific blend of passions and skills, along with the necessary resilience to keep going despite the obstacles, is what makes me unique.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

#1 CAMERAS OUT.

I think this is the secret to happiness (or as close as we can get), and I’m constantly reminding myself about it. While I was studying at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, I got to learn from the renowned voice and speech teacher, Barbara Houseman, and this is one of the things she stressed makes for good acting, and I wholeheartedly agree – It’s the most important part of acting in my book. The best acting comes from truthful connection, and we can’t have truthful connection if we are constantly stuck in self judgment (what she calls “cameras in” – a focus inward on yourself). The best acting is when your focus is on the other person. And I think it’s when I’m happiest too, when I’m approaching the world around me with curiosity and true listening, as opposed to analyzing how I’m functioning in it, and what people might think of me. It’s easier said than done sometimes, but a true focus outward is the most wonderful feeling, and makes for the most generous, egoless, collaborative environments. It’s also just a good reminder to know that you are not the protagonist of anyone’s story but your own. I can get pretty anxious when I let my thoughts spiral and wonder what other people might think of me – and it’s a good reminder to myself that I am only the protagonist in my own life, no one’s thinking that hard about my actions.

#2 YOU’RE ALLOWED TO SAY NO

Oof. This is a hard one for me. No is extremely hard, but I constantly remind myself “no” is as important as yes. Your boundaries are important, and being able to state your boundaries clearly is an act of kindness to yourself and others. While getting a “no,” can hurt, I still very much appreciate a direct “no.” It’s important to normalize it!

#3 JUST ASK

This one kind of connects to the previous one, but asking for something, the worst response you can get is “no.” I’ve been horrible about negotiating for more money and asking for what I need because of a scarcity mindset, but I’ve been surprised in when I’ve started to, that people are a lot more willing than I expect them to be. Just ask, with kindness and consideration, and even if it doesn’t work out, at least you asked for what you needed!

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Because I was born in Costa Rica and have enjoyed a career in the US, I’d say my biggest logistical challenge right now is immigration. Things would be a lot easier for me if I were a US citizen, and as proud as I am to come where I come from, it can make things hard. I’m currently applying for an artist Visa and feel immensely grateful to the many people who have been providing support in this transitional period of my life.

The life of an artist comes with SO much uncertainty as is, but when that uncertainty includes what country you’re going to life in, and that matter is entirely out of your hands – it can be a challenge. Beyond doing the literal work of applying for a Visa right now, my way of dealing with this uncertainty is planning and becoming emotionally invested in all the different possibilities of where my life could take me. I am in the privileged position that regardless of the outcome, I know I will continue to make art, tell stories and connect with people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://isacondoolvera.com
• Instagram: isacondoolvera

Image Credits

Michael Brosilow, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Dan Norman, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Ning Goff, Karl Demer, Alvan Washington