I have heard people tell me that the minute I stop being nervous about performing is the moment I need to stop performing. Well - if that's true, then clearly I need to keep performing because I spent my entire day on Friday filled with absolute dread about my performance that evening. I've performed a lot, and I always have that hint of stage fright before going on which quickly subsides as soon as the show starts. But Friday was something else. At one point in the day I actually questioned whether I wanted to do the show or not because I was so nervous. Despite all of the training and the workshops I have done to prepare for the show, it was my first show as a resident cast member and I really REALLY wanted it to be a good show.
Fortunately a hectic transit ride to PoCo and my deliberate attempt to go into the theatre with a smile on my face distracted me from my nerves long enough for me to only feel excited for the show and focus on what I needed to do to get ready. By the time the show started it was back to the usual stage fright which quickly melted away with the warmth of the crowd. The show was fantastic. Great scenes, great support from the performers and the audience. It was so much fun. To think that at one point I actually thought about not doing the show was crazy. It was a good realization of how crippling our fears can be sometimes, and the empowerment that comes from getting past them.
May I forever maintain that sense of nervousness before shows. Thanks for a great night gang!
No comments:
Post a Comment