Public performance anxiety!

[Kelso]

Well, I have one last rehearsal this week before my first performance with the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company next weekend! That's assuming they don't kick me out. And to be honest, I wouldn't blame them!

I feel like I am really good at voice acting when I'm alone in front of a microphone, but I've never had to do it in front of PEOPLE before! I really have to learn to overcome my nerves. My fiance has been trying to give me tips. She performs in front of a people like a Horta walking through rock, but she's been doing theater for about as long as she's been walking!

Last week, the feedback they gave me was that my performance... sounded... like... William... Shatner and I need to try to sound more natural!

It figures that I would finally pursue my dream of performing and actually be compared to William Shatner... but in a bad way. That is so... almost my dream come true!

 

[Amaris]

Well, I have one last rehearsal this week before my first performance with the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company next weekend! That's assuming they don't kick me out. And to be honest, I wouldn't blame them!

I feel like I am really good at voice acting when I'm alone in front of a microphone, but I've never had to do it in front of PEOPLE before! I really have to learn to overcome my nerves. My fiance has been trying to give me tips. She performs in front of a people like a Horta walking through rock, but she's been doing theater for about as long as she's been walking!

Last week, the feedback they gave me was that my performance... sounded... like... William... Shatner and I need to try to sound more natural!

It figures that I would finally pursue my dream of performing and actually be compared to William Shatner... but in a bad way. That is so... almost my dream come true!

The best advice I ever received for stage fright and/or performance anxiety, was simply this: "If you perform so poorly that they kick you out here, bus tickets are only $25 for a ride to the nearest major city's theater, and they likely don't know you there."

 

[SmoothieX]

The closest I get to public performances are appearing before planning boards, city council, etc. to get my projects approved. It is inherently a hostile situation. People are going to see you hoping to be entertained. If they don't like, they can GFY. You'll do a good job, just be prepared and confident.

 

[AcousticKoi]

I wish you the best of luck and hope everything goes well.
I know it's not the best of advice but when I have to do
any thing near or in front of people I just drink a couple of beers
and I'm good to go.

 

[ancientone51]

Break a leg. The best cure is to just go out and do it. Be bold and jump in with both feet.

 

[BillJ]

Last week, the feedback they gave me was that my performance... sounded... like... William... Shatner and I need to try to sound more natural!

Since the guy's been working regularly for sixty years, I'd take it as a compliment.

Good luck.

 

[Miss Lemon]

Some tips that usually help me when I have to speak in public:

- Be prepared.
- Arrive early, familiarize yourself with the location, talk to people.
- Use simple breathing exercises to calm down your nerves.
- Try to replace any negative thoughts you have about your performance with supportive thoughts.

Good luck!

 

[iguana_tonante]

I feel like I am really good at voice acting when I'm alone in front of a microphone, but I've never had to do it in front of PEOPLE before!

Then shut your eyes and pretend they are not there!

Break a leg.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Good luck Kelso. Don't choke up.

 

[Daneel]

I haven't been on stage in almost two years (which kind of saddens me -- I love performing), but I used to do several shows a year. It was always a blast; some have compared the adrenaline rush you get from going on stage to the adrenaline rush you get from jumping out of a plane. I don't know how accurate that is, but I will concur you have a lot of guts if you can get out there in the spotlight, so kudos to you, Kelso.

I'm afraid I don't really have any great tips to offer, but I find when you're acting on stage, the best thing to do is just be in the moment -- concentrate on your performance, the scene, and your co-stars, and try to forget about the audience as best as you can. If you mess up at all, don't dwell on it. Just keep things rolling. And while accolades are of course always nice, if you are satisfied with the job you did, that's what matters most.

Break a leg.

 

[jespah]

I haven't done stage since High School but I have done public speaking and presentations a lot more recently. Concentrate on either one person or on no one - e. g. the blur of the crowd. Also, like Miss Lemon said, prepare yourself, e. g. know the space. It is comforting if you know things like, the farthest you can walk in one direction is five steps (or whatever) and then you can know that without feeling like you're guessing.

Best of luck to you.

 

[TorontoTrekker]

I feel like I am really good at voice acting when I'm alone in front of a microphone, but I've never had to do it in front of PEOPLE before!

Then shut your eyes and pretend they are not there!

Break a leg.

It's been several years since I've been on stage (I've done Shakespeare, Marlowe and a few musicals), but the one thing that makes it all easier is if the cast are being properly lit on stage, you won't even be able to see the audience. That will make it easier to focus on your performance.

Daneel's advice is really good. Be in the moment - surrounded by the other characters in the show, and the events taking place. Don't think of yourself as being in a theatre delivering lines.

 

[Holdfast]

Public performance anxiety!

They have pills for that now; porn's never been the same since...

But seriously, just do it. The more times you do anything, the easier it becomes. There's nothing wrong with being a bit nervous and wooden the first time.

(and with that, we're back to porn again...)

 

[Kelso]

Thanks for the encouragement and tips, guys. The last rehearsal is tomorrow night... I'll let you all know how it goes.

 

[Alrik]

The key is to not over think it. Just make sure you are comfortable with how you have prepared, and that you are prepared. If so, nerves before are fine, but when the moment comes, just let go and enjoy.

 

[MacLeod]

Personally i would much rather work behind the stage/camera. But best of luck anyway.

 

[Holdfast]

Thanks for the encouragement and tips, guys. The last rehearsal is tomorrow night... I'll let you all know how it goes.

The very few times I've been in plays, the final dress rehearsal was invariably horrendous. Torn costumes, incorrect lighting, forgotten lines, running way over time, etc, etc. There's something to be said for the old adage of it turning out alright on the night... it really somehow does.

Have fun!

 

[Daneel]

^
Indeed. I've had dress rehearsals that made me think the show was going to bomb horribly, but somehow, everything came together in the end.

In some ways, I think having an audience can actually help -- they provide a certain "x factor", if you will. I've often thought that there's a symbiotic relationship between performer and viewer, a genuine give-and-take. I know this might sound strange to someone concerned about public performance anxiety, but as an actor, I've found that having an audience in attendance can help motivate you to do the best damn job you can.

True, this may seem like a bit of a contradiction to what I said in my previous post (about not focusing on the audience), but I think the two notions are actually compatible. This audience-performer relationship is, IMO, almost a subconscious element of theatre -- some actors probably aren't even aware of it. While you may be actively trying not to focus on the audience, you can still feed off of them.

That's my two cents, anyway.

Damn, all this talk is reminding me of how much I love performing. Once I'm done with my current job (and its awful, awful schedule), I think I'll look into joining a theatre group once again. When you've got a real taste for it (as I have), it's impossible to resist!

 

[Kelso]

Well, the performance today went really well. Which is good, because the dress rehearsal didn't (at least for me). He still said that I was too sing-songy and he asked my fiance to work with me at home and tell me what I'm doing wrong. The trouble with that is that I do it just fine when there aren't people watching... it's in front of the group that I choke. We really didn't have time to rehearse at home this week, but I went over and over my lines on the way down there today to be sure I had them committed to memory.

And like I said, the performance went really well. I was getting pretty nervous as I was standing up there waiting to start (my scenes are at the very beginning, of course) but once we got going I was fine. I didn't get feedback from the director afterwards, but my fiance said that I did it really well- "Just like in the car!" So I feel pretty good about it. I may find out differently at the next meeting on Wednesday, but for now I'm calling it a win.

I think the biggest help to me was the new play we read through after the Wednesday dress rehearsal. It had a much more frantic pace and a lighter tone and everyone was having fun with it. I think the less intense tone helped me to loosen up a bit in front of everyone. I even played a dual role! That was fun. Here's hoping I get cast in that one when the time comes.

Thanks for the encouragement, guys.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Good work buddy. We knew you wouldn't blow it.