It’s nearly impossible to teach an acting class without addressing stage fright and nerves. In past acting I’ve typically focused on strategies for dealing with stage fright, and not the how’s and stage fright. In my personal life, understanding the how’s and why’s of anxiety has helped me cope with it. Why wouldn’t it be the same with stage fright?
Once I pursued understanding the how’s and stage fright, I realized there was so much more scientifically behind it than I even realized. I started with this amazing TedEd Talk about the science of stage fright (it explores why we get the physical symptoms of stage fright):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K93fMnFKwfI
To me the important part of this video was emphasizing that the trigger for stage fright was worrying about what others think of you, and that stage fright is not simply in your head. There is, in fact, a scientific, genetic reason!
But isn't there also a part of it that's in your head? I consulted this article, I Can’t Go On! What’s Behind Stage Fright?, recently published in The New Yorker for some psychological input:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/08/03/i-cant-go-on
This has a few examples of celebrities with stage fright, including rappers and why they grab between their legs. I currently have a few gentlemen in our afterschool show who grab between their legs when on stage, and learning about this now helps me handle this! Just giving them the section about rappers helped them be more aware of this habit, too.
I used both of these resources as the cornerstone for my mini-unit on stage fright this week with my two “Introduction To Acting” courses. We began by learning the how’s and stage fright, but perhaps the best thing to come out of this was that realization for each student that they not alone in their stage fright and that it is , completely, totally normal!
Realizing how powerful this statement was lead me to this article from The Atlantic:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/01/what-hugh-grant-gandhi-and-thomas-jefferson-have-common/355853/
This article describes a number of popular people who have been affected by stage fright including Gandhi. Now, not only were their peers also victims of stage but many notable people they look up to.
We did a variety of exercises to explore stage fright, including scenes where the worst-case scenario actually happened (our fears came to life!). At first I worried that doing worst-case scenarios might terrify us more, but actually seeing it and laughing at it had the opposite . One particular scene consisted of an actor projectile vomiting on his scene partners, and then slipping in the vomit as he tries to run off stage. I’m definitely keeping this a part of the unit as laughter can often be the best medicine.
My first goal as an educator is to foster a safe environment where students are comfortable to take healthy risks. Acknowledging our fears brought us and working together to conquer our fears gave us a common goal and enemy. Admitting and discussing fears can make a student very vulnerable and feels very risky. This was a great first healthy risk for my students that they all ended up taking at some point in the unit.
The last assignment of the unit was a visualization technique in the form of an exit ticket where students drew a picture of themselves curing or defeating stage fright. (I was inspired for this idea based off of Stanislavski describing tension as the "occupational disease" of actors, and Lee Strasberg describing tension as the actor's "greatest enemy." I didn't use their quotes as the quotes to tension, but I used the idea of visualizing stage fright as a disease or enemy or monster.) In one drawing a student used a shrink ray to reduce the stage fright monster, another drew themselves ninja chopping stage fright, and yet another taking an extra large dose of "You Can Do It!" medicine as they looked in the mirror.
It felt so good to end this unit in a way that was positive and empowering for the students. I’d love to know in what other ways you teach and address stage fright in your classroom. Comment with your ideas or activities!