Dealing with stage fright - the series

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The most common question I get from performers of all kinds is "how can I deal with my stage fright?" I think we've all felt the knots in the stomach, and the out-of-control heart beat that takes over when you hit the stage, or just before you hit the stage, or for some people, whenever you even think about hitting the stage! I've heard that most people fear public speaking more than death, and that's a pity because I'm pretty sure death is worse.

There are as many ways of handling stage fright as there are causes of it, and thankfully not all of them rely on drugs - not everybody likes the idea of taking heart medication when you don't have a heart problem, or having to find a doctor who will conspire to write a dubious prescription. And the days of tanking up with a fifth of rye before a show are probably behind us as well! Over the next week or so, I will be posting a series of articles, each one detailing a specific method of managing your nerves.

Look for these articles. One of them will almost certainly be right for you.  Another great idea would be to start a thread in our forum, on this topic or another one that interests you.

Tom