Terry Fox Theatre

In so many ways, the stage is a microcosm of life. Things are amplified there, which is why even the most seemingly confident person can drown in their own insecurities. Stage fright -- also known as performance anxiety -- is one of the most common conditions in our society. It can be utterly debilitating, and can occur outside of traditional theatre, in any situation that requires you to give something personal of yourself in front of others.

Here are a few tips to help you deal with stage fright:

Image by Robbert van der Steeg 

Knowing is Half the Battle

When you perform, in any situation, there are a few things that, once known, will make that performance infinitely easier, and increase your confidence on stage: 

• Know your material - There is a reason that people rehearse. Make certain that your material is second nature, not only so that you could do it in your sleep, but -- more importantly -- so you will know what to do if things go wrong. 
• Know your audience - Knowing who you are performing for helps you to plan your approach. In many cases, the material and its subject matter will tell you what your audience is looking for, and you should supplement that with research of your own, if possible. The best way to give someone what they want is to know what they are expecting.

Breathe! 

So many of our emotions are tied directly to our breathing. Fear is one of them. When you are afraid, your breathing will become faster, more shallow, helping your body to do what is needed to stimulate the chemicals that cause your fight or flight reflex to function. If you control your breathing, deepen it, slow it, you will help your body and mind to relax, which will, in turn, lessen the anxiety that is trying to take you over. Some light stretching or exercise can help you with this, as they will push your body and mind to react to the new stimuli.

Life Goes On 

If a performance goes wrong, no matter what it is for or about, it doesn't necessarily mean that your life is over, the world will come to a grinding halt, or your star will explode. Life will go on -- and much of what truly defines people is how they pick themselves up when they get knocked down. Before you step foot on any stage, accept that it could all go straight to hell -- and then smile, and know that you will be just fine, regardless.

They're Just as Scared as You Are -- and They Want You to Succeed 

When you are in the audience, watching others perform, do you every hope that they will fail? Probably not. If they do screw it all up, or even fail utterly in a blazing nova, do you laugh at them? Again, probably not. It is much more likely that you will empathize with them -- and you are generally no different than any other audience member out there. There will always be the few that will take the other path, but they are probably even more scared than you are. Feel sorry for them.

Take it Easy On Yourself 

You are your own worst critic -- you know this already. There is no logical reason for you to rip yourself apart, but you do it anyway. This is normal, but you aren't doing yourself any favours here. Bashing doesn't ever help you to improve. In fact, the only criticisms you should ever listen to, especially from yourself, are the constructive kind -- everything else is nothing but pointless noise that drags you down, and such things should be aggressively eliminated from your mind. You will never be able to get rid of the voice completely, though, as it is based in your fear. The trick of it, though, is to understand the voice for what it is. Accept it. That way, you can turn it down to a muted buzzing that can be channelled into something positive -- or at least can be ignored.

All of these things are ways to help you ensure that you are as relaxed and confident as you can be, before, after, and while you're on stage. The pivotal moment for any performance, though, occurs just as you are about to walk on. This is the point of no return, put up or shut up, and every other saying of that sort. This is where you need to realize that this is happening, and that whatever goes down, goes down. Whether you are speaking before colleagues or in a seminar, are performing as a musician, a dancer, comedian, in a professional or local community theatre production, or in the grand theatre of life, you are as prepared as you are going to be. You know what you are about and what you need to do, and, no matter what happens, you will survive and prosper. 

So relax.

Go out there and enjoy yourself.

How do you deal with stage fright?