Greatest Theatre Fears

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Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 6:33pm

Hey all...just wondering what your GREATEST theatre fears are. Stagemomfromhell's post inspired me, so I throw the question to all of you
Mine is that the audience will hate me and all leave at intermission!!!

Was that a fat joke?

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 6:35pm

Forgetting all my lines. I had a nightmare about it one time. Not fun.

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 6:38pm

I don't know why, but mine is forgetting the words to specifically a song that I have to sing by myself. I feel like I could improvise lines but not a song. I have literally had nightmares about this and trying to make up words as I went along. It didn't work. One time, I had to sing "Johnny Angel" and right before I went on I couldn't remember the first words. I was nervous, and I remembered them before I sang.

It's probably not my WORST fear but its the only thing I can think of right now.

"This table, he is over one hundred years old. If I could, I would take an old gramophone needle and run it along the surface of the wood. To hear the music of the voices. All that was said." - Doug Wright, I Am My Own Wife

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 6:56pm

Oh, forgetting my lines definitely.

When I got my first leading role I was so nervous. It was a three act play and my character didn't come on until the second act and then he never left the stage. So, during the first act for every performance, I would run the lines twice. I was so afraid of forgetting them I would just drill them into my head to make sure that I DEFINITELY KNEW THEM. It definitely worked for me. But, things dramatically change when you're offstage to when you're on stage. I found myself so deep in the character that everything just came to me so naturally and I was no longer worried. Once you're able to achieve the transformation the lines are no longer lines...they're what you, as the character, want to say and they come much easier.

But that is my number one fear. I've learned to suppress it usually...but every once in a while it will spark up again. LOL

"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 7:01pm

I have to be away from....excuse me....

ARGH!!!!

C-C-C-Curtains....curtains are scary....

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 7:24pm

Mine is ad-libbing or improving.

I HATE having to do this, because I need time to think about what to say. I need time to analyze, think what will work and what won't, etc.

I don't want to say something that the author of the play would hate to be included in the script.

"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 7:31pm

Either forgeting my lines, having to improv because something goes wrong, the set falling down or lights falling on me.

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 7:33pm

I started off in the musical theater, and didn't do my first straight play until high school. At first straight plays were very scary to me, because all you have are the words, and if you get lost, it can ruin the play, whereas in a musical you can always just cut to the next song! However, I've since (mostly) gotten over the fear, and since I hardly mess up lines anyway, it's never been much of a problem. I'm now a senior in college, and feel equally comfortable doing both. However, I always keep my script in the dressing room and check up on it during the run just in case!

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:25pm

I'm terrified of quick costume changes. I'm always afraid I won't be able to do them fast enough or i'll make some horrible mistake and embarrass myself.

"This is what I trained to do, and this is what I love about theater. What I love about being an actress is being able to really look into myself and understand another human being. And out my own self, to shape and form and fashion a real human being--and to present that in such a way that people see something of themselves or their own understanding in that human being." --Phylicia Rashad

#10

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:39pm

someone missing an entrance, beause if its me, i will get my butt kicked after the performance, and if its someone else, i dont know if i would be too good at a totally improvised monologue.

#11

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:40pm

Heh heh...like the time when the lead in State Fair had her dress tucked into the back of her pantyhose for half a scene untill someone told her....

Was that a fat joke?

#12

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:49pm

I HATE having to improvise, but I don't fear it.

I fear going on stage and missing that connection that happens between me and the audience. It is difficult to explain to a non-actor but it is the driving force behind a performance.

David walked into the valley With a stone clutched in his hand He was only a boy But he knew someone must take a stand There will always be a valley Always mountains one must scale There will always be perilous waters Which someone must sail -Into the Fire Scarlet Pimpernel

#13

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 9:51pm

For my first muscial I was in the wings scarred to death that I would go out, open my mouth, and hit the absolutely wrong note. Horribly frightened me. I was shaking so much that another actress had to sit me down and give me a little pep talk so I wouldn't just die without having ever stepped onstage. Lol.

"If you can talk, you can sing...if you can walk, you can dance." - T.K. Greene

#14

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:15pm

LoudIrishGirl-

That very thing happened to me in my Musical Theatre class a year ago! I was singing Matchmaker from FOTR with two of my friends. I literally croaked the first note. Well, it was my first time singing for an audience, but it was AWFUL.

#15

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:42pm

I don't know what my greatest fear is. I've been doing shows for so long that lines and lyrics and choreography and blocking just become what they are, so I never think twice while on stage. I'd have to say, my voice cracking in the middle of a song. I love musicals, but doing straight plays, takes my mind off of preping my voice before hand...I can have a terrible sore throat and not worry about it in a straight play, as opposed to a musical where I sing.

I did "Grease" a couple of months ago (worst show of my life) and I was Jonny Casino/Teen Angel. One night, as the Angel, I was singing the opening lines, totally in character with my Frenchie (who was awesome) and as I started walking, I got a bit off balance, and just gave a look of "Oh, well, I'm an angel, who cares" and the audience loved it. So, things like that work for me.

-Vincent

#16

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:51pm

GypsyRoseLee, that's horrible! *hugs* well...at least you could only go up from there!

I probably shouldn't have worried to much myself...I was Mmd Thenardier (sp?...I never could quite nail the spelling) and the director wanted me to play it verging on horribly nasty sounding (which fit my never having EVER sung before), but within a certain range of the right notes etc. I wasn't THAT bad, but it wouldn't have mattered too much had I flubbed it.

But still, I would have felt so bad had that happened! *more hugs* I hope the rest of your song went well!

"If you can talk, you can sing...if you can walk, you can dance." - T.K. Greene

#17

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 10:53pm

Forgetting words, or getting them mixed up. Which I had happen twice...

Or...

You know a song for years of your life. But somehow you sharp, the main note screwing up everything. ((Think of Me, the final high note in the run... damnit!))

Also, forgetting lines, but I can usually save myself.

#18

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:24pm

Forgeting the words to a song everyone knows such as Oh what a beautiful morning. Or If I were a Rich man. Or One Day more.

I hate that.

CAGES OR WINGS? WHICH DO YOU PREFER? ASK THE BIRDS. FEAR OR LOVE, BABY? DON'T SAY THE ANSWER, ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.

#19

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:35pm

Definately what I was gonna say Rumtumtugger...the other night- our Julien Marsh in 42nd Street COMPLETELY messed up the lyrics to Lullaby of Broadway- and this lady who was sitting in the second row and had been lipsinging all the songs just put her head in her hands....so embarassing....

Also- I'm afraid of falling in the pit- especially in the show I'm in now- hah- seems like such a silly fear- but there are two instances where- if I'm not careful- it will happen...*eek*

And of course...forgetting lines or steps (not so much steps....that comes easily to me) or having to improvise b/c I SUCK at improv...

#20

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/14/05 at 11:42pm

Classic forgetting lines and forced to improvise. I hate the fact that I would need to improvise altogether.

"During this performance, please feel free to let your cell phones and pagers ring willy-nilly. However, do remember that there are heavily-armed knights on stage and you might well be dragged up and impaled." (Pre-curtain announcement at the new Broadway musical Monty Python's Spamalot)

#21

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/15/05 at 5:54pm

Two words: spirit gum.

I honestly try to stay away from roles with extensive makeup. I did "Schoolhouse Rock" when I wore glasses, and I had to do flips in "Interplanet Janet", and when I did them, my glasses fell off. So the makeup lady used spirit gum to attach my glasses to the bridge of my nose. But then in "Interjections" I had to wear a pair of sunglasses, so I had to very quickly rip my glasses off my face. Ohhh the pain... the agony. It pretty much goes along with quick costume changes.

I also hate having to do improv when someone forgets a line. I'm pretty good at it, but it's hard getting the other cast members to go along with me.

#22

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/15/05 at 6:01pm

spirit gum=PAIN!

I had to wear a prostetic(sp?) nose/upper mouth piece (along with a ton of multi-colored makeup) for a show I was in and it took a LONG time to get that thing off.

#23

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/15/05 at 6:06pm

Until this year I've alwaysss been a dancer in musicals...and this fall I did my first straight play and I was TERRIFIED of forgetting my lines. It was Enigma Variations by David Ives so if I screwed up, the girl mirroring me would screw up too. It was the most nervous I've ever been before a show.

#24

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/15/05 at 6:20pm

I'm terrified of breaking character. I'm always afraid I'm going to burst out laughing on stage. I'm also afraid of falling off the stage. The spotlights were really bright when I was in a talent show and I almost fell of the stage when I performed "Gimme Gimme." My director had made me do this weird shimmy thing so I looked completely ridiculous, and that was the part when I almost fell off so I was really embarrassed.

#25

re: Greatest Theatre Fears

Posted: 1/15/05 at 6:41pm

The only thing REALLY worries me is if I have to sing something. I'm always terrified that my voice will go too high or low, or it will crack or I'll forget a line or be off beat etc. Cus that is something that you cant really hide as opposed to forgetting a line that is just dialogue. I love acting but I have horrible stage fright.

I wanted to get something that an "ex"-junkie like him would really appreciate and cherish....it's a brick of heroin shaped like a heart. -Scrubs

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