by Emily
(England )
QUESTION:
I really would like to be an actress but I have problems speaking or doing anything except sports in front of people this is why I never audition for school plays or musicals is there any good tips or ways to gain confidence?
ANSWER:
The best thing is just to do it. You’d be surprised how quickly you get comfortable auditioning when you audition every day and how quickly nervous energy can get channeled on stage when you perform regularly. So the most important thing is just to push yourself to go out there and audition as much as you can. If that feels too scary, then take an acting class and get up every week to perform in front of other actors.
It’s very painful, of course, at the beginning, to put yourself through stage fright, so you will find some more tips on how to deal with public fear here. Deep breathing is something you can do right away that should help you relax. You can also try relaxation exercises like closing your eyes and focusing on each muscle in your body one at a time and releasing it. Explore the different acting techniques on the website, many offer relaxation exercises and concentration exercises (like sense memory) that help you focus on the character in the moment instead of your stage fright.
Finally, since you don’t get nervous doing sports in front of other people, try to notice what it is about sports that makes you comfortable. Maybe you can apply some of your focus in sports to your acting. Or maybe you can do some exercising before you act to get rid of some of that nervous energy…