Can Stage Fright be Cured?
Introduction
Let’s face it: Stage fright’s a bitch.
Recently, I returned to my musical theatre roots in my hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin, to honor my high school drama and choir director, Holly Stanfield, on her retirement. Alumni from various eras reunited to give her a performance, and I was thrilled to be performing a solo from one of my favorite shows: Sondheim’s “Into the Woods.”
Preparing for this trip brought back a flood of emotions and memories. As the date approached, I was filled with excitement to celebrate an iconic artistic presence in my life mixed with nearly crippling anxiety. As old traumatic memories from my childhood resurfaced, intense feelings of fear and narratives of inadequacy became overwhelming.
I thought, “Surely, this will go away by the weekend. Everything will come together perfectly, and all of my years of experience and training will kick in.”
Boy, was I wrong.
What Exactly is “Stage Fright”?
Stage fright, or performance anxiety, is a type of social anxiety. It includes a fun little mix of emotional, cognitive, and physical responses to performing in front of others. Symptoms of intense nervousness, fear of judgment, and a heightened sense of self-awareness often come with physical reactions such as sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath (to name a few, I could go on for days).
And, in severe cases, it can be seen as a trauma response.
At its core, the root causes of stage fright typically link to fear of rejection and failure, and I have great news: it's completely natural. Humans evolved to feel the need to "belong" with others in order to survive and fight off wild animals. This fear triggers the body's "fight or flight" response, prepping you to deal with the perceived threat, which can be counterproductive during a performance (to put it lightly). Since it lives under the social anxiety umbrella, anyone is susceptible to stage fright, and it can range from mild nervousness to debilitating anxiety.
What Does Trauma Have to Do With Performance Anxiety?
Anxiety often has roots in past traumatic experiences, which create narratives that sabotage our confidence. Because the brain is quite brilliant, the nervous system takes a "sensory snapshot" of these moments to prevent them from happening again. These events can alter the brain's stress response system, making it more reactive to perceived threats like performing in front of an audience.
It's when the sensations become too strong to manage that we cross into "trauma response" territory.
The amygdala, the brain's fear processor, becomes overactive, releasing stress hormones like adrenaline, leading to physical sensations that lock up our vocal potential. Trauma can lead to long-lasting changes in the brain and body, increasing susceptibility to anxiety and fear. Recognizing and addressing trauma-related responses is crucial for managing performance anxiety and improving overall well-being.
What Strategies Can Help Manage Overwhelming Anxiety?
Acknowledging, understanding, and navigating stress response is crucial in overcoming stage fright. It's a process of recovery that allows us to reclaim our power and perform with confidence. Over the years, I have developed a trauma-informed approach to managing performance anxiety, drawing on my MFA in Acting, Certified Trauma-Informed 200RYT® training, and, let's be honest— a lifetime in therapy. (But I'll leave that part for the professionals!)
Trauma-Informed Practices: Trauma-informed practices involve recognizing the presence of trauma symptoms, which can include hypervigilance, flashbacks, and emotional dysregulation, and acknowledging the role trauma may play in an individual's life. These practices aim to create a safe and supportive environment that promotes recovery and empowerment in the arts.
Formal Voice Training: Muscle memory is a key player in vocal training, but so is imagination and play. Linklater Voice Work, in particular, encourages these elements, helping to free the natural voice by releasing physical and psychological tension. This approach, which emphasizes the connection between the body and voice, can be both engaging and exciting, helping to get us out of our old narratives and into the present moment of the story we are telling.
Mindful Movement: Since trauma is stored in the body, integrating mindfulness, breathing, and movement is integral to helping release tension and build a sense of safety. This approach, with its focus on mindfulness, can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety by calming the nervous system and fostering a supportive environment for emotional and physical healing, offering hope and reassurance to those who have experienced trauma.
Moving Forward
Acknowledging these old narratives and the fears they bring up is crucial in the journey to overcome stage fright, and I can't deny it: it's a lifelong process. Moving forward, I am inspired to work through what happened on that fateful day in my hometown and will share my discoveries as I try to unpack precisely what went wrong.
