{"id":3660,"date":"2017-06-30T03:14:43","date_gmt":"2017-06-30T03:14:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/?p=3660"},"modified":"2017-09-25T17:37:06","modified_gmt":"2017-09-25T17:37:06","slug":"4-steps-to-facing-your-fear-of-being-onstage-by-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/4-steps-to-facing-your-fear-of-being-onstage-by-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Steps to Facing Your Fear of Being Onstage By Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"

4 Steps to Facing Your Fear of Being Onstage By Yourself<\/h3>\n \"\"<\/a><\/span>

Written by\u00a0Ashleigh Gardner<\/p>\n

June 28, 2017<\/p>\n<\/font>

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Being onstage by yourself can be scary if you\u2019ve never done it before. Whether it\u2019s your first time or fifth time performing a solo or monologue…well…<\/span>solo<\/span><\/i>, there\u2019s a four-step process for getting over those stage fright jitters.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 1:\u00a0Remember to take a deep breath.<\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div>

Fine, fine, fine, <\/span>everybody <\/span><\/i>and their mother has told you to breathe, right? Well — it <\/span>works<\/span><\/i>. When you get nervous, your breathing will either quicken (so you\u2019re not taking in as breath as you should, making you feel dizzy) or cease altogether (cutting off oxygen to your brain which will, uh, make you pass out). Make sure you breathe. This will help you feel more confident and physically capable of walking (and performing) onstage.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Step 2:\u00a0Remember that the audience wants you<\/i> to do well<\/em>.<\/i><\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div>

No one paid $8 to $1,000 (ahem…<\/span>Hamilton<\/span><\/i>) to throw tomatoes at you. They\u2019re <\/span>rooting<\/span><\/i> for you. They\u2019re <\/span>on your team.<\/span><\/i> These are your friends in the audience. And anyone who wants you to do <\/span>poorly <\/span><\/i>is only jealous that they didn\u2019t get the chance you got. Show your audience (your friends — seriously — they\u2019re your friends) how much you love them by bucking up and knocking that solo or monologue out of the park. So before you walk onstage, remember that the audience wants you to soar.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Step 3:\u00a0Remember that you\u2019re playing a character, not yourself.<\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div>

But when you get <\/span>onstage<\/span><\/i>, remember that you are not you \u00a0\u2014 \u00a0you are your character. Oftentimes, stage fright comes when we\u2019re not totally immersed in our characters. We think, \u201cWhat are these people I don\u2019t even know going to think of this ridiculous gown I\u2019m wearing?\u201d or \u201cWhat are the girls sitting third row center going to say when I do that monologue?\u201d These questions indicate that we\u2019re not committed to our characters and that we\u2019re thinking about external circumstances that literally have nothing to do with the story we\u2019re telling. Let go of the audience. Realize they\u2019re just faces who happen to be outside the fourth wall. Your job is to tell the story you\u2019ve been entrusted with.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>

Step 4:\u00a0Remember that you\u2019re an actor. And this is your job.<\/h4>\n
\"\"<\/span><\/div>

Half of the terror that comes with getting onstage is being embarrassed that you\u2019ll be judged for, well, doing your job. But you\u2019re an actor. You\u2019re a singer. You\u2019re <\/span>supposed <\/span><\/i>to act. You\u2019re <\/span>supposed <\/span><\/i>to sing. This. Is. Your. Job. Just like Frodo Baggins was chosen to carry the one ring to Mordor, you were chosen for this mission for a reason. Did anyone else have the guts and the gumption to get up there and do what you\u2019re doing? Look how magnificent you look onstage by yourself. You are powerful. You are fierce. You can bring down the house. You hold the audience in the palm of your hand. Go get \u2018em.<\/span><\/p>\n
\r\n

Need some advice? We\u2019ve got you covered.<\/h3>\n