Stage Fright and Joy: Performers in Relation to the Troupe, Audience, and Beyond

ABSTRACT When a performer gives a public performance, there is awareness and some form of engagement with the group of people who constitute the audience. Perceptions of this “audience group” may affect the performer in various ways, sometimes contributing to “stage fright”, sometimes stimulating the performer to an especially uplifting and thrilling performance. Depending on their art form, performers may also be highly conscious of another group (in some arts referred to as a troupe), their fellow actors, dancers, vocalists or musicians. In this paper, we review relevant psychoanalytic, psychological and theater literature. We then report on findings from an aspect of our qualitative research into performance anxiety with musicians, actors, and public speakers who were interviewed concerning their experiences of performing. These performers gave detailed reflections on their relationship with audiences and fellow performers and experiences of performing, including debilitating fright, but also those of an uplifting, joyous, sometimes spiritual nature. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.