Are You A Shy Theatre Kid? No Problem!

Written by Ashleigh Gardner

March 10, 2017

Sometimes theatre kids are shy, and that’s okay! If you’re a shy kid looking to become a little more social, we’ve got ten tips that might help you break through the barrier of socialization.

1. Find one person in your troupe you get along with.

All it takes is one friend to turn your life around. Seek out another thespian who is kind and accepting of others. Introduce yourself and start a conversation: “What’s your favorite musical?”

2. Participate in a few theatre activities with that friend.

Ask your new friend if they want to audition for a show together, do a monologue workshop, or do a scene or song together for competition. This is a great way to not only get to know each other but to positively build each other up, too.

3. Ask that person to introduce you to other like-minded thespians.

Suggest that you and your friend hang out with other thespians. “There’s a solo musical workshop after school today. Do you want to go? I saw Keisha and Jack were going, too.”

4. Talk to your director and ask them if they have any suggestions.

If you’re not the kind of person to approach your peers freely, that’s okay! Ask your director if she or he has any suggestions on how you can introduce yourself effectively into your thespian troupe’s social circle.

5. Offer to be the troupe’s historian.

The troupe historian is the person who takes pictures of everyone. At the end of the year, they make a scrapbook with selected photos to celebrate everything that the troupe did at competition, shows, and social events. When you’re the historian, you’re more likely to be invited to events where you can flex your social muscles.

6. Volunteer to be a thespian officer.

Thespian officers have the important job of representing their troupes at competitions and school functions. If you’re the president, vice president, or secretary, you’ll need to attend weekly or monthly meetings to keep up-to-date on troupe events and issues. These meetings are a great time to make your voice heard and make more friendships.

7. If you’ve got stage fright, read this.

Sometimes shyness manifests itself in stage fright. When you’ve got stage fright and you’re shy, it might be because you feel vulnerable and you’re not sure how to handle that feeling. Read the article linked above to get a better idea of how to handle your stage fright.

8. Work on a monologue and ask a friend to give feedback.

If you’re finding it difficult to get to know potential scene partners, not to worry! You can always start with the monologue. Monologues are a great way to connect with yourself as an actor while also working on an essential skill you’ll need for competition and future professional auditions. You can also ask a friend to watch and give you notes on your performance. Ask them if they have a monologue they’d like to workshop, too.

9. If you feel comfortable, ask your thespian friend to perform a scene with you.

If you’ve moved on from monologues and feel comfortable asking another thespian to work on a scene together, do it! There’s nothing more rewarding than working on a scene with another actor and making magic happen onstage.

10. Realize that you are a valuable human being.

Sometimes when we’re shy, it’s because we’re afraid of being judged. Fear of judgement stems from worrying that we’re not good enough, too tall, too short, too big, too small, our voices are too low or too high, our hair isn’t the “right” color. Forget about all of that, and concentrate on what a unique individual you are. There is no one else exactly like you in this world, so treasure yourself. If you’re shy and you like it, great! But if you want to break through to a more social “You”, remember to love yourself as the thespian you are. Others will see the respect and care you give yourself, and they’ll want to follow suit.



Need some advice? We’ve got you covered.

Ashleigh Gardner received her AA in Theatre/Drama/Dramatic Arts from Valencia College and her Bachelors Degree in English Literature and Masters Degree in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies from the University of Central Florida. She is a playwright, an actor, and PerformerStuff.com’s Editor.