10,000 Screaming Fans In Their Underwear?

Your brain means well, but....

What’s happening in our brains when we experience stage fright? Science has reveled that when your brain determines that you are facing a threat or under stress, it releases high levels of adrenaline among other chemicals to create high levels of energy to assist you in a fight or flight situation. Other parts of the brain that are not needed, including memory, temporarily shut down. When a person is struck with stage fright, it’s the temporary memory shut down that results in the performer forgetting their lines, dance steps, or music.

How can a performer overcome stage fright?

Reducing stress is very important in order not to trigger the chemical reaction in the brain that causes the memory loss. Bob Harris had an opportunity of a lifetime that could yield him thousands of dollars. It involved a high pressure, high stakes public performance. In his book Prisoner of Trebekistan, he talks about how he prepared for his appearances on the game show Jeopardy! and has gone on to win over 2-million dollars on the show. Bob explains that he prepared by rearranging his living room to look just like the Jeopardy! set and even going as far as wearing the same clothes as he would on game day.

Bob’s was a public speaker and performer before his appearance on the game show and used a preparation technique taken out of the “performer’s playbook”. It is called a dress rehearsal and it helps our brain prepare for the stress of a performance by living through the experience and knowing what to expect. Our brain learns that the performance is not a stressful or a dangerous situation and we avoid the chemical changes that block our memory. Even if you are already familiar with your parts, it is important to continue a practice and rehearsal routine. The more times you have reviewed your parts the more confident and comfortable you will be during your performance.

If you still have some butterflies backstage on performance night, use these secret performer "tricks" that will help calm your nerves. The audience will never know how queasy you were once they see you deliver a great performance.

Tips from professional actors and musicians that don't involve imagining an audience in their underwear

• Avoid caffeine. Don't consume caffeine on the day of the performance. You may think that it will make you perform with more energy, but it will actually make you feel more nervous and jittery.
• Chew gum. Chew gum to ease the tension but remember to spit it out before you go on stage. JAlso, chewing gum can make you hungry, so having some food in your stomach is helpful too.
• Put some fuel in the tank. Eat a banana before you perform. It will lower that empty or nauseous feeling in your stomach but won't make you feel too full either.
• Live in the moment. Once you're on stage, just focus on your words, your body, and your parts. Don't over think the situation and enjoy your performance. If you give your full attention to the present moment and turn off mental distractions, you allow your art and talent to take center stage and deliver your best performance

Do you have a story about an experience you had with public speaking or performing. Share how you overcome stage fright or public speaking anxiety in the comments below.