“If stage fright is the most common fear, and death is the second-most common, the person at a funeral should feel more pity for the person giving the eulogy than the person in the casket!” Jerry Seinfeld.
Stage fright is a form of performance anxiety whereby fear is aroused in an individual (mainly performing artists) by the requirement to perform in front of an audience or camera. In the context of public speaking, this fear is termed glossophobia and is one of the most common phobias affecting 75% of the population.
Anyone who has had bad nerves before a social speech or an interview can identify with how unpleasant this type of anxiety can be. However, for drama students the repercussions can result in poor grades, bad performances and even fester into a tragic waste of talent.
Stage fright can arise in mere anticipation of performing and it has numerous manifestations which include; a pounding heart, dry mouth, shaking, blushing, diarrhea, facial nerve tics and corpsing (forgetting what you are supposed to be saying or doing).
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