Bards - Stage Fright

[kyleena of the rom]

Greetings scared sister,
   Stagefright can certainly be debilitating, so I have found that if I 
memorize first and last line to any tale that I tell, I can always enter and 
exit gracefully.
   Also, if applicable, enter loudly.  No, no,I don't mean for you to fall 
over the tree stump and into the drum section by the fireside, but rather, 
enter with much energy. Use your fear to project and to get the attention of 
your audience. This coupled with that preplanned and memorized first line 
will immediately thrust you across that fearsom threshold. (Note here too, 
that you can often speak more commandingly by speaking slowly with the loud 
voice at your enterance. This gives you a little more time to gather 
yourself together and the audience has time to focus.....)
   In choir, I have been told to look a foot over the heads of the audience. 
It gives the appearance of look straight at them.  I personally, prefer to 
find a few friendly or responsive people inthe  audience and guage my 
performances by their reactions.
   Props can sometimes be handy.  I have entered with my 
tambourine-drumrolling away. That gets me to centerstage and then the 
momentum is set.
   I have entered blurting out some nonsensical discussion, and then acted 
like the audience was a chance meeting.  This kind of thing puts you on a 
one-to-one basis with the audience and allows you a personal touch/feeling.
   And involving the audience by asking them questions can help to calm you 
down and rile them up.  Yes or no questions like "What do you want, love 
song or war story?" If everybody says war story and all you have is a love 
song, bat your eyes at them and say that a beautful lady over there 
requested it...OK??? Play with your audienc, enjoy them and they 
recipricate.  Though there may be some mean spirited individuals out there, 
you will find that there are probably no more forgiving audiences to be 
found anywhere else.
   I hope this helps some, it is how I handle things....now if only I had a 
better memory....
                               Until me meet again,
                               L. Kyleena of the Rom


>From: "Kate Norris" <madrigali at crosswinds.net>
>Reply-To: bards at Ansteorra.ORG
>To: <bards at Ansteorra.ORG>
>Subject: Bards - Stage Fright
>Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 15:57:26 -0600
>
>Greetings everyone,
>
>I am wondering what methods the bards on this list use to combat stage
>fright.  FOr those who feel it every time you get up how do you deal with 
>it
>so it doesn't hurt your performance?  For those of you who no longer fear
>having all eyes upon you how did you reach this point?  Stage fright has
>been my constant enemy for years now both mundanely and in the SCA, and I
>would like to find some way to conquer it so that I may more fully enjoy
>performing.
>
>In Gratitude,
>Anezka z Rozmitala
>
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