Stage Fright

18-12-12

Recently I was in a show where the topic of stage fright came up for discussion in the dressing room. I have been involved in the performing arts in one way or another since I was a young kid. I have never been afraid of the stage or performing. The only thing I can really remember being nervous about was an audition where I didn't want to sing in front of my Mother. She made me nervous. It's one thing to be completely embarrassed in front of a hundred total strangers but I couldn't be embarrassed in front of her!

I went around and asked random theatre people what their feelings were on stage fright. If they had it, what were their cures? If they had students who suffered from it, what was their advice for them? What was their best and worst story of a case of stage fright?

Here's some of their best quotes.

Matthew Gillespie
My worst case of stage fright was with Man of La Mancha. I was so obsessed with really doing an amazing job playing Sancho Panza that I over stressed myself and was a nervous wreck. I isolated myself from the cast and paced back and forth. It was out of control. But I found that by doing busy work I could control it. I went through props several times, checking to make sure everything was there and in order and this gave me a focus other than my fear of failure.

Ling Sui
I always tell my students to be brave and face their fears. I then tell them the story of the time I dropped my pas de deux partner on her ass because I was nervous. They laugh and feel better. Laugh in the face of danger like Simba.

John Sennett Lee
When it comes to nerves, the best advice I got was from my high school theatre teacher. He told us there are two types of nervous. First is nervous energy from bring prepared, rehearsed and ready to take the stage. This is good nervous. This is the nervous that makes live theatre electric. The second is nerves from being unprepared and lazy. This is the bad nerves.

Camber Carpenter
I remember one of my first plays as a child, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." I was an Oompa Loompa, about to go on stage with another Oompa, and I completely forgot my one line and FREAKED OUT and asked this other kid what I'm supposed to say. He calmly told me and we went out there and made magic. So it's about trusting yourself, making your cast mates look good and remembering that everyone wants you to do well.

Jennifer Fong
I get stage fright with every show I've ever done. To calm myself, I need to be alone with my thoughts as I go over all my lines and blocking. When I'm burlesquing-getting naked in front of an audience, a shot of liquid courage always helps. This year, my personal mantra is "Man Up!" and I think I use that to combat stage fright.

Stage Fright

18-12-12

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