How do you overcome stage fright?

I’m a performer as well. I sing opera in front of a huge crowd quite a few times a week. There has not been one time where I do not have stage fright. You just have to focus and be confident and try not to get so worked up by the crowd. If you want to be relaxed, take a few swigs of alcohol before you perform ;) Works like a charm.

If it’s really debilitating you can take a low dose beta blocker and it will help calm the fast heart rate.

@KatetheGreat What kind of opera do you like to sing? I love opera. A good friend of mine is an aspiring tenor.

Whiskey.

Sometimes I picture a Jedi from one of the SW movies when they meditate, then spring into action. I love me some Jack Daniels too. Really, most of the time I try to relax by thinking to myself “It doesn’t matter”. Not caring about messing up is kind of liberating.

Smoke “tobacco” ;)

I went on stage for the first time recently, at the age of 45, had about two pages worth of lines. My wife has done theater all her life. Anyways about two rehearsals before opening I told my wife I just couldn’t get out of the back of my head and be in the moment. One night I ran through my lines and blocking and didn’t remember a bit of it. My wife says she knows some actors that drink a half a glass or a small glass of wine before going on stage. Oh man, night and day difference. My point is everyone’s advice above about alcohol or beta blockers is dead serious, but be careful, it’s a balance, you don’t want to end up on stage drunk. Good luck.

This will sound odd, but I got over my fear of speaking in public by teaching Sunday school to middle school kids for a year, and running a youth group. I think the experience taught me how to use my physical presence and voice modulation to create command and presence. Kids are both a hard and easy group to engage with, and you have to learn to think on your feet. You are not scripted, but you are prepared. It’s like constantly doing improv.

Stage fright, like any type of fear, is a good thing, not bad. Keeps you on you sharp. With practice—that is, repeated performances—you’ll learn to accept it and use it to your advantage.

Try this at your own risk. Next time you’re up there, just blow a nice long, loud fart. After the laughing calms, you’d then be able to do anything on stage without fright or fear.

Thanks everyone, but I’m a minor, so no alcohol for me :P

@Rarebear I’m into grand opera. I’m a coloratura soprano for my university and a local opera theater.

@cadetjoecool Well, if you’re a minor, you could always listen to relaxing music, meditate, or just laugh it all out before the performance. This sounds very weird, but before I perform, a few other performers and I like to sit in a circle and laugh hysterically. It really gets me feeling better and more relaxed.

Don’t think about the crowd. If you’re not you up there, there’s nothing to fear. On stage, BE the character you are playing. Get that fourth wall up between you and the audience by visually focusing on the area at the edge of the stage so your vision blurs if you focus beyond that. You can practice that by looking into the distance and moving your focus closer and closer to you until your focus is at the end of your nose. It’s kind of fun.

If you are not acting and are talking to the audience for another reason, focus just short of actually seeing anyone in the audience. Move your eyes around the room so it looks to the audience like you are looking at them, but don’t let yourself see actually them. Concentrate on your message.

@KatetheGreat Any videos?

@Rarebear I have tons of mp3s of myself singing! I don’t have any videos up, but that is a very good idea!

I can’t believe how many people are recommending alcohol or drugs! I would be seriously concerned if any of my actors had to use alcohol or drugs of any kind to calm themselves down. It really is not a long term solution.

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Quick fix I use when dealing with panicking students:
1. Make four fingers/thumb in with your L hand (palm down) / thumb + forefinger out in R hand (palm up)
2. Flip both hands and simultaneously, also swap the configurations so that now it’s thumb+forefinger on L (palm up) / 4 fingers on R (palm down)
3. Repeat, making the transitions as smooth as you can.

The challenge of the thing just takes their minds away from the show!

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I think also having a ritual / warm up practice to get you to a sense of “ready” in rehearsals is critical. Our ensemble has our own warm ups, where we systematically warm up body, voice and group-sense. We do this regularly in rehearsals so by the time we’re in the theatre, well it’s like the pebbles that Hansel and Gretel leave to find their way home. I strongly advise all performers to develop their own warm-up rituals.

I too, used to be terrified of performing, until one day, I realised that performance is really about communication. I think a lot of fear comes from ‘doing well or failing to do well’. But if you think of it as a message—like something you want to tell a friend in a conversation…

Once you understand why you are on stage, and have a purpose larger than “looking good”, then you will be calm.

@lifeflame I have to say that hand trick kept even me entertained for a while! :)

Calm down, breathe slowly, close your eyes if necessary. If you’re jumpy or shivery, jump! Shake yourself out. Know that no one is there to judge you, they’re just there to have a good time. If you’re having a good time, so will they!

Another trick that works is if you have 5 or so minutes alone to yourself, lay down on the floor or couch with your eyes closed, listen to relaxing music if you want, and focus on relaxing each part of your body, starting with the extremities. This is an old yoga thing that we do at the end of each session to relax and loosen up. Once you’re about ready to get up, start slowly moving your extremities until you’re ready to go. It has a really refreshing effect.

I hope you get over your stage fright soon!

When I give presentations (obviously a much smaller scale than a theater), I look for people who are attentive and smiling. It makes me think I’m doing well, and becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy thing.

Since you have done them in the past, why not recall your past experience to gain understanding and motivation from them.

Medical marijuana for anxiety.

Um…marijuana isn’t a good idea if you’re going to go out and perform.

As long as you don’t smoke too much. But, as performance standards goes, it would be helpful.

No, it wouldn’t.

Would not what? Please be more clear.

It would not help you on stage. First of all, when you’re on stage you need to be very precise and clear about what you’re doing as you have a bunch of people watching you. If you’re stoned not only do you risk screwing up your performance, but if you are up there and you have a bad reaction to the marijuana you can get a panic attack 10 times worse than the mild stage fright you’re trying to avoid.

Not to get stoned. A small amount will make the performer more confident and focused. Although, your do have a good point about a panic attack. It is possible.

What i have heard before is, picture the audience as if they were wearing no clothes. it certainly helps when i perform, i would advise against use of medical mj or prescriptions, as their side effects can interfere with the performance itself. Also, try developing your ego. the most successful people present themselves to others as if they are gods gift to the world, even if privately they have insecurities. when you are on stage, you aren’t yourself, you are whoever you want to be. break a leg :)