Stage Fright

[HeartinNYC]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 1:45pm

To all performers out there - to what degree do you have stage fright? Does it alleviate during a performance, or over time? What do you do to cope?

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 1:51pm

Never had stage fright. I get nervous but I've never frozen or been unable to cope with the thought of going onstage.

Nerves are good, really. Once I get out there and get moving it all settles down.

[bially082]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 1:51pm

I do not have much stage fright. If I do, it's gone as soon as I walk on stage. I sometimes get nervous just before my first entrance.

[elvenprincess971]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 1:53pm

the nerves i get depend on what im doing. Dancing a little more nervous than acting or singing. But once ya get out there, its fine. Just those anticipative jitters.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 1:54pm

Newbie Actress to Katharine Hepburn: "Oh, I never get stage fright."

The Great Kate: "Don't worry, dear. When you're accomplished enough, you'll get it."

[AbsolutKnight]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 2:26pm

I actually have very little if any stage fright when I have been on stage in a show.

However, when I have to get up at work in front of a couple hundred people and be myself for a presentation, I start talking really fast and totally hate it.

Doesnt it just seem to easier to not be yourself sometimes in front of a large group of people?

[Taryn]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 6:33pm

I get a little nerves before a performance, but it's usually a minimal amount. Just a nice little jolt of a adrenalin to help on my performance.

[mizzie]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 6:36pm

I get stage fright- just not when I'm on stage. I get very nervous right before my entrances....then once I'm out on stage, it's completely gone. I do judge myself alot while I'm on stage though, and that's something I'm working on.

[TGIF]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 6:38pm

I get nervous. But i am even more nervous when i have to give a speech. I would much rather be doing a monologue or a play. You get to hide in the character. Its a safety net!

Posted: 10/8/04 at 6:48pm

I get nervous a few hours before I know I'm going to be performing. Actually, I would say more Anxious than nervous. But when I finally am about to get on stage a big good breath really helps me. It's just soooo calming, and onstage I never get nervous or feel like I'm going to miss a line or anything.

[chinkie azn jai]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 7:01pm

The only time im nervous when im peforming is when i dont know the material dead on. If im a little shaky on it, i will be VERY paranoid.

[NoDayButToday2]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 7:03pm

I don't really have stage fright, but I prefer ensemble roles because you can usually get away with minor mistakes. Not saying that ensemble members are slackers, it just makes me feel better knowing that there are other people for the audience to be looking at. I do tend to freeze up a little at auditions though.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 7:10pm

I'm always at least a little nervous (I'm told that if you're not, there's something wrong), but the only time I ever get scared is when I'm afraid of flubbing lines because I didn't get enough rehearsal time (this has happened only once, but it was a very bad experience). Other than that, the only time I've ever gotten stage fright was when I was performing in "West Side Story" at the 1,500 seat (and sold out) opera house at Indiana University where I go to school. Although I've been in a million shows, I'd never performed for an audience that large before! That was pretty scary.

[Mythus]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 7:47pm

When I get stage fright, it always goes away as soon as I'm onstage. I don't know why - the prospect of being in front of an audience is terrifying, but actually being in front of an audience is one of the best things ever.

[Idina_obsession]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 7:49pm

i get stage fright...but if im in character then i dont get scared...or if im with a group of people...i think that once the lights are on you...the audience kinda goes away and you are there...just doing what you do best :)

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 7:53pm

I usually don't get stage fright. I'll sometimes get a little nervous before the show starts, but once it starts, I'm perfectly fine. Then, for some reason, I become nervous after the show. But that's not stage fright. It's post-show fright.

Posted: 10/8/04 at 8:09pm

I get the worst butterflies before shows..I cant stand still and my adreniline is like, through the roof..when it gets down to the 2minute/10minutes before..i get really nervous..and as soon as the music starts im fine and want to get it on. I'm more nervous for curtain call. Hahaha i always trip or do something stupid. Hahahah its ok though, all a good laugh. Nothing like making the crowd laugh!

[timote316]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 10:01pm

My first show (Guys and Dolls - an extra): nervous from the time I entered the school day of until the final bows

My second Show (Gramercy Ghost - Rocky [minor character]): My first speaking part, so first night was pretty bad lol. The second night was also pretty bad, but not as bad.

My third show (Fiddler - The Constable): not nervous at all until I had to speak

My forth show (Copacabana - Sam [a secondary lead]): not nervous at all, which really struck me as odd, seeing as it was the first time I had sung onstage alone. Oh well lol

[dancingthroughlife008]

Posted: 10/8/04 at 11:03pm

I get more nervous before an audition than an actual performance. Once I'm in the show, I'm usually really anxious opening night, but after that I'm fine. Auditions make me really antsy and nervous though.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:29am

i am usually completely a nervous wreck until i finish my first line, after that is less terror and more a sense of energy

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:33am

I'm only nervous right before I go on. After that, it's all good.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:35am

I do get a bit nervous, but not as much as some other people.
Rose, I was just watching that episode of Family Guy and I had forgotten about the Miss Saigon joke!

[EponineThenardier]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 1:55am

Dancing, acting no prob.

Singing solos. Scared ****less. It is my absolute biggest fear, I always been that way. Its plagued me especially in the last couple of years.

[Amneris]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 10:59am

actually, i don't get nervous for performances , I get nervous for the audition!!! The anticipation of waiting to go in and sing is HORRID!!! And then once I go in, it's fine.

[Broadway Matt]

Posted: 10/9/04 at 11:05am

I get the same thing as Amneris. in a performance I might be a little anxious beforehand, but I'm fine as soon as I've been onstage once. auditions make me a nervous wreck. i hate being able to see whoever I'm performing for. before my eyes got as bad as they are now, I used to perform/audition without contact lenses so I wouldn't notice the audience's facial expressions.