If you have accumulated quite some experience acting on stage, chances are stage fright is not a topic of great concern to you. However, new actors trying to make a name for themselves in the crowded industry might be dealing with some serious roadblocks when they need to perform in front of an audience. If you are into musicals and theater acting, you might feel even more pressure – and jitters – every time you need to sing and say your lines on stage. If you are still searching for ways of turning your anxiety and nervous energy into a positive vibe, these next few tips should help.
Secret #1: Visualize Yourself Performing On Stage
Yes, this is the thing you are most afraid of, and yet it is the thing that will help you regain your confidence in your own strengths, skills, and talent. A few days before you are ready to perform in front of a crowd, you will need to make sure you have memorized all of your lines and songs, movements and interactions with the setting/the rest of the actors.
- Take pictures of the set and have it accurately memorized and imprinted in your memory.
- Pay attention to the set’s musicality so you can get ready for any unexpected lags or sound problems during your acting. There might be some less obvious beats you will need to hit, so have it all memorized and make sure nothing takes you by surprise.
- Close your eyes and listen to the set, then picture yourself being on stage, saying your lines and singing your parts. Try to really get into the music and practice the choreography until it is flawless.
- Be ready to improvise new moves or say new lines in case something goes wrong, or another performing actor is having trouble with their own performance.
All of these tricks will help you be and feel a lot more prepared for the big day – and most of your jitters should vanish.
Secret #2: Do Not Wear Yourself Down
While practice does make perfect, avoid practicing on the day of your show. Instead, focus on warming up and stretching, especially if you will be doing a lot of dancing.
Try not to make your body tired, or you will risk having a hard time focusing and remembering your line or what you need to do next. Learn how to dance with more control and you should gain more confidence in our own powers and abilities and stop feeling so terrified on stage.
Listen to the directions given by your project director and limit your practice as much as possible. The more details you have in mind, the more you will trust your own instincts and knowledge on the stage and get rid of your anxiety and fear of failure. Try to picture that every new practice is the real thing and imagine all of your anxiety, stress, and butterflies in your stomach. Transfer yourself on the stage in your own head and think of the last-minute reminders you will need to remember on the night of your actual performance. Once you will get used to all the emotions and stimuli tied to your acting, you will also know how your body reacts and do a better job at controlling yourself.
Secret #3: Play Games To Relax
It can be anything from bingo to slots, puzzle or arcade games. The internet offers limitless options in terms of entertainment, as websites like Australia-Casino.org allow you to play slots online as well as poker, roulette, blackjack, baccarat and pretty much any other casino game under the sky, for free or for real money, 24 hours a day. Take a look at their exquisite selections of top online casinos and read their detailed reviews to find out what are the biggest welcome bonus deals you could take advantage of. Places like Fair Go, True Blue, Joka Room or Dingo Casino count among the top payers in terms of match bonuses for new players’ first deposits. Expect anything from $1,000 up to $3,500, plus free spins waiting for you at the end of your sign up. If you feel like wagering real money would put even more pressure on you, there is always the option of free games and free spins.
Games that relax and entertain you at the same time should take your mind off the jitters for a short while. Try a few games around, or go shoot some hoops or take a swim- just remember not to exhaust yourself physically and mentally prior to your show. Games like slots and bingo have simple rules to follow and they will not consume a lot of your resources, so they might be a good idea to try.