I need help on performing in front of a large group!?

Question

Usually at my school, I can act out things perfectly either by myself, or in front of a small group. But when it comes to family members, my class, or even the entire school bored, I freak out! I begin to rush at what I say, or mess up on some lines. Help?

Answer 1

hmmm......
have trust in yourself.....
just think that you are proposing a marraige to your girlfriend...
be man enough........

Answer 2

Practice is the key, however there are some tricks you can use to help you through.

Try to concentrate on three people in your audience. One stage right, one center stage and one stage left. Focus on these people when you're maintaining eye contact with your audience. Don't try to look at everyone or you will lose focus and concentration on what your saying.

Contrary to popular belief DO NOT try imagine the audience naked or in any other kind of humorous situation. This only adds to the amount you have to think about and is too distracting. Do not even think about the audience if you can. (Practice!)

Always be mindful of your pace, breathing is very important. Act out your lines so that you are required to take a deep breath in between them to slow you down if you have to. (Do not take obvious deep breathes when on stage)

If you are practicing lines, try and record yourself, and then listen to your playback. Be objective, the thing about acting or giving a speech is not too make it look like your doing so. The more natural the better. Speak in manner that is befitting to the context of your lines, just like you would to a friend.

Finally, ALWAYS remember, that as you are on stage you are always going to perform better than any of your audience members, because that's the reason you are on stage, and they're in the seats.

Good luck.

Answer 3

What you're describing is extremely common. Usually, it's most difficult to act in front of loved ones, or to speak in front of a class that you're in.

For acting I recommend remembering that it's not you on stage, it's the character. For public speaking, I recommend remembering that most members of your audience would probably be more terrified than you are.

However, on a more practical way of dealing with this:

As part of a college science class I teach, I have my students pick a subject they know absolutely nothing about, read about it for five minutes, and give the class a briefing about the subject after they finish reading about it.

To add to the tension, I ask them to give the briefing under circumstances that they know will make them angry, confused, or scared (such as having their classmates backs turned to them, having someone interrupt them while they speak, ior having someone laugh at them while they speak). The choice of how the class misbehaves is entirely up to the student giving the brieing. It produces the results they expected, but after each briefing they are in more control of what bothers them, and when they experience this in their professional lives it won't be the first time they have experienced it. My students all have said they have greatly benefited from it.

With the above in mind, practice your lines in front of loved ones several times, and rehearse your public speech to friends or classmates after asking them to deliberately misbehave in ways you are afraid of. You won't have to do this often before acting and public speaking become fairly easy.

Answer 4

Practice, practice, practice, and then practice some more. If you are just making a speech, here's something I do, I put on glasses so I can't see the people very well. That is enough to keep me from getting too nervous. But, I practice, practice, practice. If you are in a play, you just have to practice some more. Good luck from someone who know how you feel.

Answer 5

I agree with the whole practice thing but you also have to boost your self esteem up. When you feel good about yourself, you can have a much easier time preforming in front of people. I know by experience that when you find ways to think better about yourself its a lot easier to face the people that you think might judge you.

Answer 6

Practice, practice, practice
I would practice alone as if your family is in front of you. Then once you actually have to go infront of your family you will be "used to it" good luck

Answer 7

just imagine there is noone in the room but you...
..you can also practice in front of a mirror to boost your confidence