Overcoming the Fear of Theatre
By Berkley Mullen
Overcoming fear is something that everyone deals with – fear of change, playing a sports game, speaking in front of the class. Everyone struggles with fear. Some people’s fear overwhelms them more than others, and some can deal with fear better. Some people let fear get in the way of what they love. Many kids do not join the theater program because of fear.
One thing that scares kids away from the theater program is the stereotype of theater kids. For example, we are loud, nerdy kids. And while those things are true for some of us, most are just kids who found a place to be themselves without judgment. Another stereotype the media has of theater kids is that we will do anything to get a specific role and be nasty when someone else gets the part. Everyone in theater has learned at some point that it does not matter what role you get. It is the cast as a whole. In the article Debunking the “Theatre kid” stereotype by the University of Virginia (2023), it states, “Television and movie producers love to show theatre filled with gossip and drama, or mean girls and nerds – the harmful stereotypes overshadow the myriad perks of theatre that continue to circulate both within and outside the community.”
Probably the main reason people shy away from theater is the anxiety about auditions. Even actors and actresses who have auditioned a million times and love getting up on a stage feel the same way. Most kids who want to try theater never do because of their fear. And the kids who do join find a wonderful place to let out what I call “you’re weird.” But there are ways to overcome this fear. One way is to let go of this anxiety and embrace the nervous anxiety created by auditions. You are never going to get rid of your anxiety. Don’t let your anxiety build up and scare you away from the things you love. Everyone in the audition room feels the same way. They aren’t worried about you, and they are concerned about themselves. Another way to get rid of your anxiety is to practice! Jack Otoole, a junior from College Park and a member of the International Thespian Society, said, “What I do to get over my fear of auditions is to practice and feel prepared walking into it.”
Stage fright is another thing that keeps people away from joining theater. While theater isn’t for everyone, there are ways to eliminate stage fright over time. An article called Stage fright by Top Doctors United Kingdom provides evidence by stating, “Stage fright is an unrealistic assessment of what is expected of you – overestimation of the opinion of others.” Stage fright is a real thing. However, you can teach yourself to overcome this fear. Tech theater is one of the most essential parts of a show. Sometimes, people underestimate how much technicians participate in helping a show. It isn’t until they try tech for themselves that they see all the hard work technicians contribute. Tech builds every set piece, makes and puts together every costume, figures out what the props will be, and arranges the lights on the stage.
Pride and Prejudice and Scapino have been performed at College Park this year and received rave reviews. Although those shows have already passed, we still have the musical and spring shows this year. There are theater meetings on the first Thursday of every month in the auditorium that anyone is welcome to attend. We also have an improv club every Tuesday. For more information about our Theater events, go to the CP Theater Instagram page called twcp_theatre and our website twcptheatre.com.
