Despite the Nerves

The ability as a performer to feel a closeness to your audience. How do you do that?

There’s that famous song, ‘Killing me softly..’

This song strikes a chord in many of how well it can be done – pun intended!

My story…

Well, I’ll tell you my take and maybe you’ll have some ideas to share as well!

I’m shy – very, very, very shy.

It’s been said of performers we over compensate for our weaknesses – I prove the rule on this one.

So – good news is if a shy person like me can learn how to build that closeness or intimate feeling with an audience, so can you!

It’s learn-able. I’m living proof of it.

The Beginning…

My story started out as a choir singer, then dancer, then became an opera singer and, now, actor/voice over/model – there is also musical theatre thrown in there, too!

My 1st real moment of knowing I had a knack for all this was when I put a chair on a stage and everyone laughed – I loved it! Had no idea what I’d done, but I wanted more.

After that, it was many years of terror and not knowing how to deal with nerves and why 1 night I was great and the next a mess.

How it came together for me…

I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to be OK in the moment and letting go of control. I didn’t come from a performing family, so I had no compass to help guide me through the world of entertainment.

My biggest step in this direction was my Meisner training – a great method of letting everything fall away and be.

It helps me find my anchor for my creative kite.

Coming from a cerebral/thinking type personality – plus getting a degree in classical/operatic singing – to the great divide of being open to an audience and letting inhibitions stay off stage has taken me years to achieve.

It’s been, at times, painful, honest, exciting, exhausting and, ultimately, a fulfilling experience.

My Meisner training is what brought all my exploration of my art forms together to help me just roll with anything put in-front of me and see it/them as a gift.

Acting has opened so many doors to me and freed me to go beyond my own inhibitions. How about you?

P.S.: My Meisner training has been with Scott Williams and the Impulse Company, which is a combination of Meisner and Bill Ball – a wonderful balance of the best of Meisner with the love and care of Bill Ball.