how to deal with stage fright?

Question

gosh, i know, an uninteresting question. anyway, how ironic that i'm a part of our theater guild in school yet nervousness always overcome me, forcing me to forget my lines. arrrgh. help!

Answer 1

What to do about it.

Fortunately there are several approaches to the effective management of performance anxiety. I'll offer a sampling that should help you be aware of the possibilities.

The first suggestions about how to manage anxiety involve changing how you think about anxiety-provoking situations in order to shift the way you feel. For example, people with anxious responses tend to "catastrophize," or anticipate the worst possible outcome and react as if that was actually happening.

Here's an example of this kind of thinking: "I'm not ready for this next solo. Everyone will notice and I'll look foolish. I'll feel humiliated and never have the chance to play in public again." With that kind of pressure who could do their best?

A related common thinking pattern that causes disruptive anxiety is the tendency toward perfectionism setting impossibly high expectations. Aiming high can be helpful and motivating. Aiming beyond reach and then condemning oneself for not getting there is a prescription for feeling like a miserable failure. These sufferers set such high standards for themselves that there is little chance that they will feel satisfied with their performances; thus, they fill themselves with dread and fear in advance of any public outings. (Do you recall Stuart Smally's "stinking thinking" from the Saturday Night Live skit?)

The first step in changing these disruptive thoughts is to recognize them. When you feel the anxiety building, use it as a cue to do a mental scan: Am I telling myself this is going to be a catastrophe? Am I pressuring myself excessively?

Practice some alternative thoughts to break up these anxiety-producing patterns. Instead of "I must play perfectly or everyone will laugh at me." -- try substituting, "I'm going to do my best and I know that most people out there really hope I do well. Friends and family are going to love me no matter how well I play." The first thought is likely to increase anxiety and actually distract you from doing your best. The second can be calming and help your focus and performance.


The strategies identified above focused on shifting your thinking in order to influence your feelings. There are several other helpful strategies that are more "behavioral." That is, they involve engaging in some types of action to address the feelings, and the anxious symptoms. We all know something about these approaches since the most obvious is called "practice." Let's face it, there is no substitute for knowing the material you are going to perform. In fact, learning a piece, and then continuing to practice results in an "overlearning" that allows performance with limited drains on your concentration. The playing can begin to feel automatic while still being quite musical. Even when you ad lib, overlearning relevant patterns can provide a comfort zone for your playing.

There are ways of practicing intentionally to help manage anxiety. First, practice playing loose. If your hands or arms tighten up that translates into anxiety. Take the time to slow the speed until you are playing with good form and no unnecessary tightness. Experiment with posture so that you and the instrument are at peace with each other instead of wrestling around.

Next, pay attention to how you breathe when you practice those difficult parts. Again, slow it down so that you can breath deeply and steadily throughout the piece and not hold your breath during that section with the tremolo and triplets. If you find yourself continuing to take rapid, shallow breaths, or not breathing at all, it might be helpful to practice some breathing exercises. There are lots of options out there for learning forms of meditation (Zen, deep breathing, yoga), all of which help build the skill of focused relaxation just what you want for smooth, flowing musicianship. Practicing these skills can help your stage anxiety, and other anxieties, in dramatic ways.

One of the most effective approaches of dealing with anxiety is to confront it. In fact, it is well known that avoiding anxiety typically serves to maintain it since you never learn that the feared stimulus is manageable. Therefore, if your anxiety peaks any time you play with other people, get out every chance you get to play with others. Even if that means you crash and burn, do it and learn that you survive.

But even better is learning one piece that you find relatively simple well within your reach skill-wise. Get a few trusted friends together and ask them to play that piece with you. Give yourself a success experience! One e-mail friend of mine wrote that going to one of the players' camps was the key. He put himself in a situation where players of all abilities were playing constantly for a week. By the time camp was over he discovered he wasn't nearly so self-conscious of playing with others. Now that's diving in!

One whole class of strategies to reduce performance anxiety is referred to as "desensitization." This basically means you should take every opportunity to play in the situations that cause you anxiety. If you know from experience that your anxiety grabs you on stage, try practicing in conditions as near to those you'll find in performance as possible. If you are preparing for a coffee shop gig, maybe you can actually go to that stage and play a couple of tunes in advance of the show without an audience.

Here's a cool thing: Many people benefit from imagining themselves successfully engaging in the feared behavior, reducing their anxieties noticeably before they actually set foot on stage. To make this approach work you must first relax. Close your eyes and breath deeply. When you are aware of feeling relaxed, imagine as clearly as you can playing your part. Imagine what you see, what you hear, what the pick feels like in your hand. Remind yourself to breath deeply as you picture yourself performing while feeling comfortable on stage.

Repeat this imagination practice daily and you'll likely experience less anxiety when the performance comes along in real life. You may have heard that this technique is now common practice among top athletes who learn to practice complex routines in their minds as a performance aid. It is equally helpful for all performance-oriented activities.

If your fears have to do with all eyes being on you get a few friends together and play as an informal group. Go to local open mics and you are pretty sure to have a supportive audience who have all been there terrified. They will want to you do well and will appreciate your efforts, even if you flub up.

Of course, many people turn to some form of substance to help manage anxiety. The most common would be alcohol in its many incarnations, but stories about musicians becoming dependent on the widest range of substances imaginable are legion.

In addition to the risk of dependence or addiction, relying on alcohol (or other drugs) to get you "into the zone" is unreliable. For example, the effect of alcohol is highly dependent on how recently we've eaten, how well rested we are, our overall stress levels, etc.

However, utilization of prescriptive medication to help control performance anxiety has proven the most helpful course for some. Medications known as beta-blockers were originally developed to help regulate heart rate and manage blood pressure. They have been discovered to assist many whose performance anxiety is so extreme that they become physically incapacitated prior to going on stage.

One e-mail correspondent offered real hope for using beta-blockers to treat extreme anxiety. He wrote that his stage fright was extreme (he cited lack of skill combined with a Type A personality as contributors) and the use of beta-blockers provided the much-needed relief. Plus, he wrote that with more stage experience, increased acceptance of his level of skill, and by allowing his playing to become more fun he has not needed to use beta-blockers in years. A real success story!

More from http://www.mandolinmagazine.com/articles/stagefright.html


http://www.jasminjahal.com/articles/art_surviving_stage_fright.html


http://www.ljlseminars.com/anxiety.htm Overcoming Speaking Anxiety in Meetings & Presentations


http://www.cello.org/cnc/tim17.htm Overcoming Stage Fright



""I rehearse heavily ahead of time, then just before the show clear my mind, pay complete attention to the people around me and enjoy where I am. "" http://anitra.net/writing/articles/stagefright.html

Answer 2

Honestly, when the lights are on, you really don't see most of the people out there. They are just a blurry mass. Afterwards, you will almost WISH someone took a picture from the view of the stage so you could actually see what they looked like. You really only see they first few rows. So if you just don't look at them, and just concentrate on the distant "blurry mass", it's a lot easier that way. I used to be in an all-girl rock band, and I remember I experienced MORE stage fright when we played in a small bar with 10-20 people versus huge crowds of 2000 or more. You could SEE the faces of those 10-20 people. All you saw in the big crowds was just a CROWD, like leaves on a tree. But even in those small venues, just enjoy the moment. Don't think about what they are thinking. Just have fun. We did one show in a pretty seedy bar and all the people were OLDER MEN who were drunk off their asses. They heckled us all really badly. Our lead singer was almost brought to tears. But it was for good money so we struggled through it. One of my older brothers was there, so we felt somewhat safe, but it was still scary. (And we had fudged our ages to be able to play there.) By the end of the night, though, it was hysterical. The EXACT SAME DRUNKS who were heckling us earlier were now singing our praises. We were all the best musicians they'd ever heard. They were even dancing. And some of them bought us flowers from this woman who was selling roses for $5 a pop. It was a reality check to how you shouldn't let audience reactions bother you. We always remembered that gig every time we got nervous about a bigger gig. And you know what, it happened time and time again. People just want to be entertained. If you're having fun doing it, they buy into it and have fun with you too.

Answer 3

Hmmm you really ought to start reading biographies of actors. Screw the nervousness and develop an arrogance that you are a star or you will not get that far unless you possess some combination of sexiness & looks that forces people to shove you into the light. There are actors who confront stage fright by having a good healthy puke just before stepping out on the stage. If that is too drastic then try five minutes of meditative breathing. Blank out all thoughts but your upcoming performance. But truly if you wish to succeed you need to be 'on' anytime you are anyplace that has an audience, not just the stage or in front of the camera. (an egostical writer suggests you remember that those are the author's lines and you might find it easier if you concentrate on sharing those wonderous words with others - - - it is your gift as an actor to bring those words to an auidence)...


Peace...

Answer 4

When you get stage fright, ask yourself what it does to your body physically. Most people carry thier nerves in thier stomach, other in the shoulders and for some it's a breathing thing. How do you react to these nerves? As for the mental anxiety, I believe someone answered that one quite adequatly before me. But take care of your physical reaction to stage fright as well. If you carry your nerves in your stomach, then before a performance when you feel your stomach tie into knots, eat some soft bread and drink some water. I usually have this snack while putting on make-up. The bread expands in your stomach and can make the nerves easier to handle. If it's in your shoulders, get some one to give you a massage. Deep breathing and meditation is great if the nerves affect your breathing. All professional performers prepare themselves physically and mentally before every performance and you should too.

Don't let the nerves scare you away from the stage. I like to think of it like a roller coster going over a hill. As you slowly appoach the top of a hill, its hard to relax and you are sacred of that moment when you will start flying rapidly downwards. But when it happens, it's thrilling. Think of it that way. Just take yourself to the moment when you first take the stage, say a line, strum a note, whatever . . . as soon as you get started you will be on a role, because you would have (should have) rehearsed your bit and you will be fine.

Answer 5

I used to get a little stage fright. If you learn you lines well (that is that you are able to repeat them without noticing that you are speaking your lines, and can enter the lines at any point the scene should start) then you should be ok in front of an audience.

You should try to build your confidence. Everyone will feel a little frightened when they step-up in front of a large group of people. The more you do it the better you will feel.

Answer 6

Don't picture them in their undies. Tried it once made me laugh...I didn't have stage fright...but I couldn't do my lines because I was laughing so hard. It's very common to be nervous. Best thing to do is to practice. Be aware of people but tune them out. Even though I still have stage fright as people say the more you do it, the more you tune out your fears.

Answer 7

I have been performing, literally, since I was 2 1/2. I am 41 now, and I STILL get stage fright. I have performed in front of 8,000 at a shot; I have done acting; orchestral music; band (rock, country, etc) music; professional wrestling (as a manager and ring announcer), and I STILL get stage fright before EVERY show.
Even though I have played in front of multiple thousands, I still get nervous in front of 50 people. That is the bane of every performer's existence. It is also the blessing of every performer's existence.

If you are not nervous before you hit the stage, then I would recommend that you simply pack it up and walk away. Regardless of what anyone ever tells you, they are all (including those who perform stadiums consistently) plagued by some form of stage fright... even if it is a simple case of the pre-show jitters. John Lennon, whom most would agree had performed in front of a number of people, actually vomitted off stage before the Concert for Bangledesh in 1970/1971 because he was so nervous.

Controlling them is a simple matter of being as prepared as you can possibly be, knowing your lines as well as you can possibly know them, and then allowing yourself to know that you have done everything you can possibly do to make this performance the best you have ever done. Once you know that intellectually, you need to convince yourself- in your heart- that you are ready for this. Then, you need to go out and do it. And if you screw up??? WHO CARES?!?!?!?!?!?! We have, all of us, screwed up on stage at one point or another.
I saw Ace Frehley (lead guitar for KISS) miss a cue, and rushed through a solo because he started a half a beat too late... and that was in front of 30,000 people. I blew a note in front of 8,000 that EVERYONE knew I had flubbed. (I am a bass player).
I was watching a stage play with a very famous actor in the lead role. This woman had done this show 8 times a week for over 4 months, plus rehearsals before that. About halfway through the second act, she stopped, looked lost, and asked the audience just what the hell she had been doing for the last six month, because she had lost her focus and forgot her lines. She had to call for it from off stage.
If you ever get a chance, go to perrytyler.com and order Media's Class Reunion on DVD. In the special features section, they show numerous times during the filming of the DVD where the actors missed their cues, blew their lines, forgot props, etc.
TV actors produce bloopers by the truckloads.

Have you gotten the idea that it happens to EVERYONE, yet? The best way to get over it? Get over it. Once you blow the line, get through it, and continue on with the show. Very few performers will give you grief about it. And who cares what the audience thinks... they don't have the guts to get on stage and put their butt on the line.

Answer 8

well, the best and true way to deal with it is to obtain self confidence. That alone will kill every other monster that tries to stop u from establishing ur purposes on the stage.

Answer 9

drinking chamomile tea helps me deal with nervousness + a vitamin E

Answer 10

rehearsal, rehearsal and more rehearsal. Sometimes we do forget our lines too. However, replace them with jokes and return to the actual contents. That's what I usually do. Your audience will not even realise it.

Answer 11

The simple method:

I preface most speaking engagements by repeating to myself 'I am the S***. I am the S***.

Arrogance is the stage-fright-killer. (just keep it to yourself)