Stage Fright
A friend recently asked for advice about how to deal with stage fright. This is what I wrote. Sometimes, I feel like there is really nothing you can do about it because the source of it is not entirely to do with going on that particular stage on that particular day. You are never really upset/worried/anxious about the thing you think you are, right? A certain amount of anxiety about going on is normal, though, of course and it might be odd if someone did not feel at least something out of the ordinary while waiting offstage for the cue. It’s not a normal thing to do to walk out in front of a crowd of people (or one person) and do something so intimate and personal as singing (or acting.) It’s unusual, and it takes something extraordinary to do it at all. Something drives us to do it though. Maybe think about whatever that is? I remember the first time (more or less) I went on stage as an adult. After weeks of rehearsal, finally it was o...