Meet Isa Condo-Olvera | Actor, Singer, Teaching Artist, Dialect Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Isa Condo-Olvera and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Isa, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I could write a whole book about this, so I’ll try my best to be succinct! I was born and raised in San José, Costa Rica, to an Ecuadorian dad and a Mexican mom. My parents both had drastically harder childhoods than I did, and from a very young age, I was taught about privilege, fortune, and gratitude. It is so human to compare yourself to those who appear to have more, but my parents would gently remind me that so many have so much less—a way of thinking that grounds me in gratitude whenever I’m struggling. I remember Mami explaining to me very early on that my life would be harder in some ways than my brother’s because I am a woman, while my brother, Diego, would struggle because he had darker skin than I did—not because this is how things should be, but because the world is unfair. They taught me how to survive within it, and how to support others’ survival as well.

Mami would tell me stories every night. When she was a child, books saved her, so she shared her love of books with me. And when I started trying to tell my own stories, she listened. She believed in my storytelling.

Papi gifted me music. I never met my grandmother; she died when he was a child, but Abuela Fanny loved stories in music. In Guayaquil, Papi was raised on The Sound of Music and Man of La Mancha, and I was raised on those too. Even before I could properly hold a tune, he made me believe I could create music.

When I was 8, my parents separated and eventually legally divorced. As painful as that was, in a way, it was a gift as well. When they were at odds with each other, I loved them both so deeply, and I understood where they were both coming from. They gifted me empathy.

I’m an imperfect human being, but one of the things that keeps me going is this love of stories, music, and empathy. And that all came from them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a Costa Rican-Mexican-Ecuadorian actor with a deep passion for performing, which began with musical theatre—a love that continues to influence my work. Storytelling through music was my first love, and I often incorporate it into my acting. While honing my craft at the UMN Guthrie BFA Actor Training Program, I was fortunate to indulge my love of language through top-tier classical theatre training.

I have found great richness in revitalizing classical texts by bringing my whole self to the work. Some of my recent roles in classical theatre include Iphigenia in “Iphigenia at Aulis” at 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 passions culminated in the creation of my first play, a one-woman bilingual verbatim piece.

As Spanish is my first language, I am always grateful for opportunities to authentically and specifically represent Latine folk through detailed language and dialect work. Last year I had an especially meaningful opportunity to do this, in the play “Laughs in Spanish” at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, was particularly meaningful as I collaborated with other Latine artists to joyfully and authentically tell a story centered on Latin characters. I’ve also recently enjoyed inhabiting various Latine characters and bringing my identity to the development of new work. Most recently, I’ve taken part of various workshops at the Playwrights’ Center, one of my favorite places ever, where I’ve have the opportunity to contribute to the changing theatre landscape.

As far as whether any of it has been easy? Definitely not. I’ve been extremely fortunate in my career and even still, it’s been challenging. Every actor—and I’d dare say every artist—needs to be extremely resilient. We accept the inevitability of constant rejection and still manage to hold on to hope. And while I wouldn’t change my nationality and culture, being a born and raised Latin American artist holds its own set of challenges when it comes to accessibility of the arts. It’s challenging for me to narrow my work to a single focus because I am passionate about so many aspects of the craft. This unique combination of passions and skills, along with the resilience to persevere through adversity, is what sets me apart.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The Art Deco Historic District in South Beach is stunning to walk around, with its pastel-colored buildings and vintage charm. Little Havana has THE BEST Cuban food (I’m salivating just thinking about it). If you’re there at the right time, Art Basel in Miami Beach is one of the most significant and highly anticipated events in the art world, offering a gorgeous opportunity to see an incredible array of art. The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Arts is a great place to catch theater and music—I saw the Broadway tour of Wicked there when I was sixteen, and I remember being absolutely awestruck. For a more laid-back experience, spending a day at the beautiful beaches would be lovely. I also just love talking to the locals of wherever I am, and Miami has such a vibrant mix of cultures, with so many fellow Latine folks to connect with.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh god, it really does take a village. I don’t even know where to start because I could write a whole book of thanks to the people who have helped me out at different moments in my life. I need to thank my parents first, for instilling this passion within me from a very young age, and for believing I could pursue it (even when I don’t believe, they do, and I feel immensely lucky for that). I also need to thank my brothers, Diego and Adrián, for their unconditional love, support, and humor. No one makes me laugh more.

I don’t think I would’ve taken the leap to do theatre for a living without my mentor, Silvia Baltodano. She is someone I admire immensely for her impact on the performing arts scene in Costa Rica, for her artistry, and for the influence she had on young people like myself. She created the first musical theatre school in Costa Rica, La Colmena, which was the first time I truly found community in a group of passionate, eccentric artists that felt like my people. There, I met my teachers Miguel Mejía and Bryan Vargas, who built me up when I really needed it and taught me so much. I also met some of my best friends in the world there: Fabi, Chino, Manu, Lexie, Max, Racks, Andre, and Fos. Eight years after we first met, we all live in different countries and time zones, but our friendship is still going strong. They’re still some of the first people I text when something happens in my life.

I’ve been lucky enough to find a community among theatre folk in the US as well. Theater friendships can be strange because you become so intimately close with a group of people for one specific moment in your life, and then you have to say goodbye and that group never comes together again. And yet, there are so many people who have made a point of expressing their support even once that moment passes. My loves, Isa, Isabel, Ash, Liv, Anya, Dom, Dar, Lee, and Brielle are my new community, and I feel beyond lucky to have them. And then, there are my mentors. One of my favorite parts of being young in this industry is being able to learn so much from others. Whether it’s my teachers in school or older actors who have taken me under their wing, I have a deep admiration for the people around me who have so much to show me and have been so kind in supporting me thus far. Lucinda Holshue gave me a deep love of voice work and allowed me to play wholly. Sally Wingert has been immensely kind, giving me rides home during a whole run of a show, filled with wisdom, laughter, and warmth. Regina Marie Williams showed me what it looks like to gracefully lead a show as an actor – onstage and off, and the power of generosity of spirit. Because of them, and many more, I am a better actor and a better human.

Website: https://isacondoolvera.com

Instagram: isacondoolvera

Image Credits
Dan Norman, Michael Brosilow, LaurenB, Brittany Powell, Ning Goff, Arturo Condo