STAGE FRIGHT! I am about to be in my first ever amateur play...please help?

Question

Hi everyone,

I am about to perform in my first ever play in a local amateur theatre group. I have a large role with lots of lines, but am never on stage alone. I have never done this before.

I am starting to feel really nervous, particularly at the thought of close friends and family watching (I encouraged them all to come thinking it would make me feel better!).

What can I do to try and ease this sensation?

Thanks so much in advance,
Heidi
xxx

Just to clarify, this IS NOT an audition. It's the REAL DEAL. I have already landed the role. I will be on stage, in character, acting. :)

Answer 1

My first big show was when I was yet 17 years old where I was in fact the lead dancer and the pressure was extreme:
Because of the political connections of the university, the crowd was pretty large and the audience was pretty important.
The show was the first big show for just about everybody in the group and they were not only scared but they were looking up to me since I was the lead.

I have VERY little words to explain the fear I was suffering from for a very dear while… But I had managed to find a way out of it all. And that was my grandmother!
She was not too much into dancing leave alone to expressive modern choreographies. But she loved me so much none the less and I always knew I meant the worlds to her. I also knew that if the whole thing went wrong, if I slipped and fell, even dropped the girl I had lifted on me, if everybody pointed at me and laughed… I knew that there would be at least ONE person very proudly watching me and applauding for my achievements.
And believing in this had given me a great amount of confidence. My fear literally blurred into a much lesser level.

Other tricks:
_While ballet practice we were always told on how everybody else was “Sub-human” while dancers were so elite and so above them. This is a little psychology trick that actually does work miracles on stage fear… but sometimes backfires to create some annoying arrogant dancers I personally am irritated by.

_Some people try to go for thinking of “Everybody to be naked”… which is a combination of the above trick (as in seeing them lesser) and at times spotting someone you can get attracted to and giving them a sexual role to your observation. A different form of adrenaline tends to kick in where your confidence is altered to the better.

_This IS a radical one but it helps a lot: Before the opening, while there are a group of people working there only or a cleaning crew or something… maybe even your cast-friends, go to the centre of the stage and make a COMPLETE idiot of yourself. Like get on the floor and wiggle like a fish, or squat and start walking like a duck and make “quack” noises… I don’t know… just do SOMETHING that would make you look very stupid, very ridiculous and have others literally laugh at you or make fun of you.
Conclusion: you have just made a complete idiot out of yourself… it only gets better from there on. And you have a chance at the play to prove it.
Now get on the stage and do your best!

Hope this helps

Answer 2

Just RELAX. I always get nervous before I perform, but once I'm on stage, and have got a good reaction from the audience, it becomes sooo much easier: the nerves disappear and it's the best sensation ever.

The easiest way is to keep yourself amazingly unrealistically busy or to find someone who can help you with this. It's not scarely unless you think about it. Try not to stay around anyone who is nervous or scared, as this will rub off onto you, and remember that when you're onstage, you won't be able to see individuals in the audience.

PS I do find it easier performing for an audience that I've never met. Close friends and family is ok, but when it's people you don't know too well/ need to impress - that's when it's the worst.

Answer 3

tip: about fifteen minutes before you have to go on, lay on the ground or against a wall, isolated from others, and breathe in for 5 counts, hold it for 7, and then release it for 8 counts. Keep doing this for about 5 minutes, and if the nervousness comes back, do it again. As well, since you are not on stage alone at anytime, focus your attention on the people on stage with you; block out the audience entirely. And i completely understand about the family: I do fine when they are not present, but when I know they are in the audience, I get really nervous. But you'll do fine!

Answer 4

There is no audience.

There is no script.

There is just you (the character) and the conflict.

Concentrate on what your character has to achieve. Nothing else matters.

You are nervous? That's GOOD!

It means you want to deliver a superlative performance.

You shall, believe it.

Don't try to ease the sensation, revel in it. Believe me, after a few performances you will seek it.

There ain't no drug on Earth like Theatre.

Answer 5

ok. this is totally normal! everyone gets nervous before a play (including me) but you'll get over it. just be yourself and really work your nerves into your acting. make your part seem REAL! once you get up there on tht stage and start acting, your nerves will be gone before you know it!!!

and think about this........ everyone (except for your family and friends that you invited) there will be people you probly will NEVER see again!!! and your family and friends are there to SUPPORT you!!! they'll think nothing other than "WOW! SHES AMAZING!" just SHOW THEM WHAT YOU'VE GOT!!!! give it your all and JUST HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!

good luck~ have fun =)

Answer 6

just RELAX!
i know tons of peopls are gonna say that, but it's true!!
i heard eating a banana before auditions or recitals help.
just be confident and don't let the judges know you're nervous.
that's always a bad sign:
if you're nervous on stage for an audition,
how will you act on stage for a performance??
RELAX AND BREATHE AND JUST HAVE FUN!!
GO CRAZY AND BE YOURSELF!

Answer 7

i know proabally alot of people have told tou this but think of the audience like their in their underwer but dont look at the audience alaways just look at the clock or a still object in front of you if you have to look straight. dont think negativly or it will make it worse. i use to be just like you but when i went up there i did great and everybody cheered i had the time of my life. now my dream is to become an actress maybe that will be yours someday all you have to do is beleive i n yourself

Answer 8

concentration on the single individual you will like to accomplish for and picture you're basically appearing for them. grow to be one along with your overall performance to exclusion of each little thing else. Then each little thing will bypass for sure.