Stage fright is making me frightened!
December 5, 2019 1:00 PM Subscribe
I thought I wanted to try acting and be onstage if I got cast, but now I’m freaking out before I even know if I’m cast. Special snowflake details below.
So for about the last year, I have wanted to give community theatre a try. Since I’ve had some more free time recently, I went to an audition for a production yesterday. And to my surprise, I got a callback today (to show up tonight) and was asked to bring something to sing, the usual. But, maybe it was just my panic in scrambling to pick a song (this is my first ever theater audition so I was not prepared with a second song; my fault) or anxiety about A New Thing, but I no longer think I’m ready for this. Again, maybe my anxiety will pass and I will be excited to be cast should I get a part. But who knows?
This feeling is not new to me. I haven’t asked here in a couple of years, but I have run in the past from picking careers and going to school because of change scaring me. Over the last year I have really been trying to push my comfort zone and have done some new things, but I still feel nervous about these situations. I think what scares me about theater is feeling not ready to sacrifice other things I enjoy to commit to a lot of rehearsal, and not to mention the added pressure of being under the bright lights and worrying if I’ll mesh with the cast.
I am feeling anxious about callbacks tonight even though the director and musical director had to have seen something good in me to bring me back. Is this first time jitters, or does every actor get this?
For the record, I have no desire to act professionally, if that matters. I don’t intend to go further than community theatre. I also don’t have any unrealistic expectations that I will be a lead in the show. I fully am prepared to be offered a small role or the ensemble.
So for about the last year, I have wanted to give community theatre a try. Since I’ve had some more free time recently, I went to an audition for a production yesterday. And to my surprise, I got a callback today (to show up tonight) and was asked to bring something to sing, the usual. But, maybe it was just my panic in scrambling to pick a song (this is my first ever theater audition so I was not prepared with a second song; my fault) or anxiety about A New Thing, but I no longer think I’m ready for this. Again, maybe my anxiety will pass and I will be excited to be cast should I get a part. But who knows?
This feeling is not new to me. I haven’t asked here in a couple of years, but I have run in the past from picking careers and going to school because of change scaring me. Over the last year I have really been trying to push my comfort zone and have done some new things, but I still feel nervous about these situations. I think what scares me about theater is feeling not ready to sacrifice other things I enjoy to commit to a lot of rehearsal, and not to mention the added pressure of being under the bright lights and worrying if I’ll mesh with the cast.
I am feeling anxious about callbacks tonight even though the director and musical director had to have seen something good in me to bring me back. Is this first time jitters, or does every actor get this?
For the record, I have no desire to act professionally, if that matters. I don’t intend to go further than community theatre. I also don’t have any unrealistic expectations that I will be a lead in the show. I fully am prepared to be offered a small role or the ensemble.
It helps me to remember I can always quit. A job, a school track, a commitment. It doesn’t mean that it is without consequence, but I can always quit. I find that helpful to remember when I’m nervous about new things. I often motivate myself to take the next step by thinking “I can quit... at the next stage”. If I were you I’d keep going with it until you’re more sure, and less reactive, about whether you’d like to continue. And, quit whenever you want, if you want!
posted by seemoorglass at 1:43 PM on December 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by seemoorglass at 1:43 PM on December 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Does it help to say you are not being you? You are being the character, singing the notes and saying the words that the writer and composer made. Not yourself. So no-one is looking at you, they are looking at the Phantom or Juliet or Dolly or whatever....
Helps me. I've done loads of community theatre, no worries. But I could never ever do standup comedy, or improv. Because that would be me, not the people who wrote the part.
posted by alasdair at 1:45 PM on December 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
Helps me. I've done loads of community theatre, no worries. But I could never ever do standup comedy, or improv. Because that would be me, not the people who wrote the part.
posted by alasdair at 1:45 PM on December 5, 2019 [1 favorite]
I think what scares me about theater is feeling not ready to sacrifice other things I enjoy to commit to a lot of rehearsal, and not to mention the added pressure of being under the bright lights and worrying if I’ll mesh with the cast.
These are totally reasonable fears, but they're also very, very temporary and time-limited! This is just one show, presumably with a rehearsal period of a few months? If you participate and you find that it took up too much time and you didn't enjoy yourself, you never have to do another show again, AND you'll have learned that community theatre is not for you, which is valuable information for you to have. And maybe you'll meet cool people or identify another way you want to participate, like stage managing or working the box office or running the social media or something. I say give it a try - you may or may not enjoy it but you'll learn a lot about yourself.
posted by mskyle at 2:20 PM on December 5, 2019 [2 favorites]
These are totally reasonable fears, but they're also very, very temporary and time-limited! This is just one show, presumably with a rehearsal period of a few months? If you participate and you find that it took up too much time and you didn't enjoy yourself, you never have to do another show again, AND you'll have learned that community theatre is not for you, which is valuable information for you to have. And maybe you'll meet cool people or identify another way you want to participate, like stage managing or working the box office or running the social media or something. I say give it a try - you may or may not enjoy it but you'll learn a lot about yourself.
posted by mskyle at 2:20 PM on December 5, 2019 [2 favorites]
If it helps any, there's no guarantee that you get cast even if you got a callback? Don't worry about the fears until it becomes an actual issue.
I now do community theater acting and it's freaking awesome. Most theater people are very nice and community theater probably won't get a lot of obnoxious showboats. I can't help you on the time commitment bit and passing up other stuff--it happens and I am considering quitting my volunteer job entirely these days because one night a week of that does kind of interfere with show rehearsals.
However, most shows will only have you show up to rehearsal on days that they are rehearsing something you're in, so you may have a "not every single weeknight" rehearsal schedule until later in the rehearsal schedule. I only had to come in around 2 nights a week in my last two shows for a while. Usually those are around 1 month, 1.5 months, or 2 months and then it's it, and you won't have any or too many rehearsals after the show starts (some may want to do a random "pickup" rehearsal during a show run).
Good luck! I've never auditioned for anything where I had to prepare a song and sing with a piano accompaniment (I had it sprung upon me at an audition and I had NO CLUE and the piano player was 15 years old and slow and not as good as advertised), so if you already know how to do that, good for you!
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:08 PM on December 5, 2019
I now do community theater acting and it's freaking awesome. Most theater people are very nice and community theater probably won't get a lot of obnoxious showboats. I can't help you on the time commitment bit and passing up other stuff--it happens and I am considering quitting my volunteer job entirely these days because one night a week of that does kind of interfere with show rehearsals.
However, most shows will only have you show up to rehearsal on days that they are rehearsing something you're in, so you may have a "not every single weeknight" rehearsal schedule until later in the rehearsal schedule. I only had to come in around 2 nights a week in my last two shows for a while. Usually those are around 1 month, 1.5 months, or 2 months and then it's it, and you won't have any or too many rehearsals after the show starts (some may want to do a random "pickup" rehearsal during a show run).
Good luck! I've never auditioned for anything where I had to prepare a song and sing with a piano accompaniment (I had it sprung upon me at an audition and I had NO CLUE and the piano player was 15 years old and slow and not as good as advertised), so if you already know how to do that, good for you!
posted by jenfullmoon at 3:08 PM on December 5, 2019
If it helps, always remember that they came here for you–you didn't come here for them. It's your house: you're the owner. So you're in command, even if there are 5,000 people in the house. When you're out there, it's your house: act accordingly. This applies to any size role, from 23rd Spear Carrier to Hamlet.
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 3:55 PM on December 5, 2019
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 3:55 PM on December 5, 2019
Response by poster: To cookergirl and mskyle: I would like to learn behind the scenes work too!
To jenfullmoon: There was actually no accompanist at these auditions. Instead you gave the musical director your phone and he plugged in the headphone jack or the USB and away you went on your song!
posted by intheigloo at 4:33 PM on December 5, 2019
To jenfullmoon: There was actually no accompanist at these auditions. Instead you gave the musical director your phone and he plugged in the headphone jack or the USB and away you went on your song!
posted by intheigloo at 4:33 PM on December 5, 2019
Oh god, that would be SO much easier!
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:45 PM on December 5, 2019
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:45 PM on December 5, 2019
How did the callback go?!?
posted by DrAstroZoom at 12:18 PM on December 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by DrAstroZoom at 12:18 PM on December 6, 2019 [1 favorite]
This is a second reason why rehearsals are important. The first reason is that they give the actors time to make mistakes and hone their characterizations to the play. The second reason is they train the actors' memory, their muscle memory some would say, so that once the show begins, a given actor is on the carnival ride and just does it.
Now, just before the curtain goes up, yes, many, many, even famous actors, feel some stage fright. If you feel too much, then don't go on stage. There's no real solution. Moreover, why would you care to do any work to resolve it, as with a therapist or other aid? There are plenty of actors and the stage can do without one more. If you don't like it, you don't like it. Why force yourself to eat spinach? There are lots of other nice green vegetables. (It's a metaphor: I LOVE spinach!)
My point is based on my own experience: good and adequate rehearsal does a lot to diminish stage fright's effect on performance.
posted by tmdonahue at 6:17 PM on December 6, 2019
Now, just before the curtain goes up, yes, many, many, even famous actors, feel some stage fright. If you feel too much, then don't go on stage. There's no real solution. Moreover, why would you care to do any work to resolve it, as with a therapist or other aid? There are plenty of actors and the stage can do without one more. If you don't like it, you don't like it. Why force yourself to eat spinach? There are lots of other nice green vegetables. (It's a metaphor: I LOVE spinach!)
My point is based on my own experience: good and adequate rehearsal does a lot to diminish stage fright's effect on performance.
posted by tmdonahue at 6:17 PM on December 6, 2019
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How about this: do this callback, and if you get the part, do this play. Doing this play does not mean you have to DO ALL THE PLAYS FOR NOW AND EVERMORE. If you end up not liking the time commitment, or any other aspect, you never have to do another play ever as long as you live. Maybe you'll find that you DO like it, but you only want to do one play per year. Maybe you decide you HATE it but you're intrigued by crew work. Anything could happen! And if that's what's causing you anxiety, the unknown (and I totally get it if that's the case), just remind yourself that nothing is forever.
And for what it's worth, small roles and ensemble parts tend not to have as much rehearsal time as leads. It varies by production, of course, but in general, that's how it works.
posted by cooker girl at 1:14 PM on December 5, 2019 [8 favorites]