Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

Today, I got up in front of 40+ other people I know and don't know and read a part for a play without dying. I normally shake like mad, and my voice wavers, but today I stood tall and proud and read the part with feeling.

I am very proud of myself.

Maybe this isn't an accomplishment to anyone else, but to me, a die-hard techie who's normally called "the shy one," getting up in front of my peers, reading, and hearing (even if I know they're only saying it to be nice) that I did well is the best feeling in the world.

Anyway, more to the point of a thread topic, does anyone else have any stage fright/overcoming stage fright stories? (Last time I tried to audition, I shook so bad I was told to stop and take a breath, relax -- and then I fell down the stairs off the stage. ;))

By Missj (Missj) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 12:08 am: Edit

YEAH GO YOU!!! =)

i know how you feel...i have stage fright too but in the past four presentations my voice didn't waver as it normally did.

i don't really have any stories, but sometimes a weird accent comes out and i just sound silly. haha aw well we have our embarassing moments. heh at least we can look back and laugh at ourselves.

good job rowan! =D=D=D

By Rowan (Rowan) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 12:53 am: Edit

Yay!

They always say practice helps get rid of stage fright, but that hasn't been so in my experience. I had this incredibly irrational fear -- and today it was simply gone.

A weird accent, huh? I just have the normal "voice cracks, fades randomly" kind of thing.

I kind of like laughing about falling down the stairs. ;)

By Salamanda (Salamanda) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 02:00 am: Edit

hmmm, is there a such thing as "delayed nervousness"? lol...well, lately that's been happening to me: i'm fine, then all at once (right when i get up to the freakin stage) the butterfly's and "i'm gonna throw up" fellings come

well, nehow, once...during rehersals for my intro to theater class i got so nervous that i fell backwards and knocked over half of the props...thank god that pretty much everone in that class were close friends or people i knew
but still...it was embaressing!

By Missj (Missj) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 03:56 am: Edit

awww it's ok, salamanda! =) yeah sometimes i'm ok and then right when i get up there the butterflies come out.

rowan: haha same here. i'm nervous so i practice too much but it doesn't really help. now i try to just practice a few times and hope all goes well =) heh yes a chinese accent...and add in some squeakiness. good stuff.

anyone ever try to imagine the audience naked or as rocks or whatnot?

By Rowan (Rowan) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 09:32 pm: Edit

I suppose there must be, Salamanda! I've never had it, but maybe that's just delayed recognition, that "OMG, I'm on stage!!!" feeling. ;)

I'm sorry, but I had to laugh when you said you'd fallen back into the props: I've fallen off of so many platforms and knocked down so many set pieces while stumbling around it's not even funny! And I don't have an excuse; I was just crew. :P

Very interesting, MissJ. At least your nervousness can be amusing in some way. Mine's just silly (well, except falling down the stairs -- that's pretty funny).

I've never imagined the audience at all -- I just look up at the booth or into the lights. :P

By Kiwee (Kiwee) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 04:13 pm: Edit

I am a MAJOR theatre geek, adn I have been to soo many auditions that they have become social events for me to see friends from previous shows that I have not seen in a while. At my frist auditions, however, I was a TOTAL wreck. Now I don't even get nervous at all, except for when the accompiantist messes up my music, which happened at my last audition lol, but it's kewl. You should be proud of yourself, and know that the more you audition, the less of a big deal it becomes, until it makes no difference at all. I hope you get your part and Break a Leg!

By Oceanblue52 (Oceanblue52) on Friday, March 19, 2004 - 04:23 pm: Edit

Congratulations Rowan! I know how difficult it is to get up in front of so many people.

I have not yet gotten over stage fright, although I'm a little better than I used to be. I discoved last year in APUS that giving a speech is my easier if you just make little notes instead of writing in out, word for word. Why didnt i figure this out earlier?!? My main problem now is that my mouth gets dry and its hard to articulate. Anyone have any suggestions??