Social Anxiety Support

AshCash · 11-05-2009, 06:47 PM

This is for all teenage actors/acttresses with SA! How do you combat the stresses of theatre and such and how does SA affect your acting/singing/performing in general? Those are a few questions I want answered.Oh and how about stage fright? Does that affect anyone out there?

It does for me! in fact today I dropped a line on stage in front of a group I was performing for,it was bad,at least it was terrible to me,and I'm really afraid for opening night tomorrow.Luckily it was just one line and I got it back after a few seconds,but I didn't recover well and I wasn't into the whole scene,I was very.....distracted the whole time with how the audience was percieving me instead of the story I was telling them.I usually try to pretend there is no audience so I don't get so distracted but I guess it was really early for me and the fear and nervousness just came over me.

TimeisAllAround · 11-06-2009, 10:11 AM

I'm not a theatre kid per-say, I am involved in choir. SA has really effected my ability to perform. I once skipped a concert because I had a solo and was too nervous.

Anyways I find that the only thing that has helped me is experience. As time has gone on and as I've performed more, I've gotten less nervous. I also try to lose myself in the music, while still paying attention to the director. The only thing that really bothers me now is that I always look unhappy/kind of nervous onstage. I need to work on a better facial expression even while I'm experiencing anxiety.

Banzai · 11-07-2009, 05:30 AM

Wow, you do drama?! i always used to think people with SA just simply suck at anything along the lines of "performing in front of people".

malone · 11-07-2009, 06:40 PM

I did drama in high school for two years. I loved it because I was comfortable with the people. In 12th grade there was just six of us in the entire class and we were all outcasts. Asian nerd, my gay best friend, anime nerd etc. etc. We used to eat lunch together in the drama room so we wouldn't have to deal with people.

When it was group performances, I wouldn't get such bad stage fright because I kept myself reassured with knowing that other people were up there enduring the same thing with me. Also, well..we never performed infront of anyone except three teachers. But I was still nervous !

But monologues... *shudders* For our final exam we had to do two monologues - 5 minutes and 8 minutes. Just me in a room with two other people marking my performance. It was the single most terrifying experience of my life. I forgot a few lines here and there and couldn't stop shaking. Never again !

AshCash · 11-08-2009, 06:43 PM

Quote:

I did drama in high school for two years. I loved it because I was comfortable with the people. In 12th grade there was just six of us in the entire class and we were all outcasts. Asian nerd, my gay best friend, anime nerd etc. etc. We used to eat lunch together in the drama room so we wouldn't have to deal with people.

When it was group performances, I wouldn't get such bad stage fright because I kept myself reassured with knowing that other people were up there enduring the same thing with me. Also, well..we never performed infront of anyone except three teachers. But I was still nervous !

But monologues... *shudders* For our final exam we had to do two monologues - 5 minutes and 8 minutes. Just me in a room with two other people marking my performance. It was the single most terrifying experience of my life. I forgot a few lines here and there and couldn't stop shaking. Never again !

Teachers are the WORST to perform in front of,but I guess its easy for me because I'm naturally a "people pleaser",but nonetheless I get nervous,and I end up doing a bajillion breathing techniques and stretches,and a 5-8 monologue,since when? that must have been for like a college or something because its always under 3 minutes for me,I don't think I could talk that much at one time,haha.You were really lucky though because the only time I really feel comfortable ( as in not judged) is on stage more so than off stage because the people are so in your face and it just seems like I don't have the personality type that would be like that,so its like everyone's really close in my play except me,the only reason why they accept me is because I've been around since freshman year,but speaking of anime nerd,I'm a HUGE anime nerd and proud of it.

11-05-2009, 06:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
AshCash Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Gender: Female Posts: 57	SA Theatre Kid This is for all teenage actors/acttresses with SA! How do you combat the stresses of theatre and such and how does SA affect your acting/singing/performing in general? Those are a few questions I want answered.Oh and how about stage fright? Does that affect anyone out there? It does for me! in fact today I dropped a line on stage in front of a group I was performing for,it was bad,at least it was terrible to me,and I'm really afraid for opening night tomorrow.Luckily it was just one line and I got it back after a few seconds,but I didn't recover well and I wasn't into the whole scene,I was very.....distracted the whole time with how the audience was percieving me instead of the story I was telling them.I usually try to pretend there is no audience so I don't get so distracted but I guess it was really early for me and the fear and nervousness just came over me.

11-07-2009, 05:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
Banzai Status: SAS Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: UK Posts: 908	Wow, you do drama?! i always used to think people with SA just simply suck at anything along the lines of "performing in front of people". __________________ When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bike. Then I realised that The Lord doesn't work that way, so I stole one and asked him to forgive me. -- Emo Philips

11-06-2009, 10:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
TimeisAllAround Status: SAS Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Midwest, USA Gender: Female Posts: 75	I'm not a theatre kid per-say, I am involved in choir. SA has really effected my ability to perform. I once skipped a concert because I had a solo and was too nervous. Anyways I find that the only thing that has helped me is experience. As time has gone on and as I've performed more, I've gotten less nervous. I also try to lose myself in the music, while still paying attention to the director. The only thing that really bothers me now is that I always look unhappy/kind of nervous onstage. I need to work on a better facial expression even while I'm experiencing anxiety.

11-07-2009, 06:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
malone Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Australia Gender: Female Posts: 60	I did drama in high school for two years. I loved it because I was comfortable with the people. In 12th grade there was just six of us in the entire class and we were all outcasts. Asian nerd, my gay best friend, anime nerd etc. etc. We used to eat lunch together in the drama room so we wouldn't have to deal with people. When it was group performances, I wouldn't get such bad stage fright because I kept myself reassured with knowing that other people were up there enduring the same thing with me. Also, well..we never performed infront of anyone except three teachers. But I was still nervous ! But monologues... shudders For our final exam we had to do two monologues - 5 minutes and 8 minutes. Just me in a room with two other people marking my performance. It was the single most terrifying experience of my life. I forgot a few lines here and there and couldn't stop shaking. Never again !