Sacrifice

 "To suffer loss of, give up, renounce, injure, or destroy especially for an ideal, belief, or end". (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrifice)

Real Drama always has a sacrifice. Think about it- our best movies, plays, or stories always has someone or many suffering.  The drama is what are they going to do about the sacrifice or with the suffering?  That's the real story.  Even our tabloids follow the agony real or imagined.

There is a strong connection between an actor and their character.  That's pretty well known.  What isn't as well known or recognized is the Sacrifice that an actor must make for the drama to ring true.  All of their inner structures or belief systems that do not match must be put down in order to pick up the sacrifice and suffering of another character.  

I was listening to two of the actors from the upcoming play,"The Pillars of the Community" by Ibsen, who didn't notice that I was nearby.  They were working through a scene discussing what their character would say and think.  I was struck by the ease with which they could find what position the character would react out of instead of what they as themselves would do.  There is a sacrifice here of choosing to be "other".  There are times when it is such a relief to be someone else, but to lose yourself in it is something else.  This is a price of sacrifice that is paid by actors that are true to their character.  It is not an easy thing and should not be ignored.