How to Overcome Stage Fright for a School Musical

Performing in a school musical, whether that be a fairy tale like Aladdin, an adventure like The Wizard of Oz, Victorian melodrama Oliver With A Twist or comic-caper Mission Implausible, is a rite of passage full of fun for students, parents and teachers alike! It’s not only a creative outlet and educational tool for primary school leavers and secondary school students, but also a great way to work on essential skills like confidence, speaking and teamwork.

However, a common stumbling block for students in school musicals is suffering from stage fright both before and on performance day. Of course, stage fright and performance anxiety can hinder their overall experience of school musicals.

In this article, we’ll look at common causes as well as how to overcome stage fright.

What is Stage Fright?

Stage fright is a type of anxiety that kicks in when you are scared to do something in front of an audience, such as perform in a school musical. Your brain and body interpret this fear to mean you are in danger, triggering fight-or-flight mode. Have you ever been about to walk on stage to address an audience and felt either paralysed or suddenly full of energy? That's your body’s adrenaline taking control!

Even though you are not in any physical danger, your brain and body can’t tell the difference. This is why it’s important to recognise the signs in children and understand how we can help them overcome stage fright when performing.

What are the Signs of Stage Fright?

There are some telltale signs in children who suffer from stage fright that we can recognise to help them overcome their performance anxiety:

Rapid heartbeat
Heavy breathing
Trembling voice
Shaking or shivering hands
Dry mouth
Nausea
Sweaty hands

What are the Causes of Stage Fright?

It’s equally important to know the causes in order to help children overcome stage fright when singing and dancing in a school musical. These are the most common causes of stage fright:

Lack of preparation - Not having enough time to rehearse can negatively affect children. They may not be confident in remembering and delivering their lines or lyrics, which can really impact their ability to perform comfortably.
Lack of experience - Coming into secondary school, children, as expected, have far less performance experience than their older peers. Although this may seem obvious, it’s important to point out that younger siblings who watched their older siblings perform may feel undue pressure and need extra help to overcome stage fright.
Fear of ‘messing up’ - Getting up in front of any audience can feel scary, never mind an audience full of a child’s loved ones! Children often worry that they will ‘mess up’ by delivering a line incorrectly or forgetting a line or lyric on stage, which would create stage fright and performance anxiety in a person of any age!
Self-doubt - Many children experience a lack of self-confidence and ultimately focus on all of the negative possibilities that come with performing in a school musical. When negative thoughts overtake positive ones, they can feel insecure.
Unfamiliar environment - Children may feel apprehensive about their performance if they have been rehearsing in their classroom rather than on the stage in the school hall (or wherever the actual performance will take place).

How Can Teachers Help Students Overcome Stage Fright Before Performance Day?

Now that we understand the signs and causes of stage fright, let's look at how to overcome stage fright before performance day comes around!

Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! - The most effective way to overcome stage fright is to ensure that students have plenty of time to learn their lines and songs and practice them over and over again! It sounds simple, but like doing anything, repeating the actions will make them feel more comfortable and confident by the time performance day rolls around.
Get familiar with the set-up - While this may be a tad harder to achieve due to space availability, having your students rehearse on the performance stage will really boost their confidence! If you can manage to squeeze in your last few rehearsals on the intended stage, this will allow students to practice how they’ll get on stage, in what order, and where they will stand.
Celebrate their successes in rehearsals! - To create a positive and fun atmosphere, praise all of your students for singing clearly or executing their lines well! This will take off some pressure, and it may even be worth organising a quick activity or game after rehearsals, too.
Ensure they’re comfortable in costume - Costumes in school musicals are often a key feature, as they tell the audience which character is which, especially in fairy tale musicals like The Wizard of Oz. Costumes can also be a really enjoyable element for the students, so it is important that they feel comfortable wearing them.

Top tip: To mitigate sensory discomfort for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), focus on sensory adaptations through collaborative planning with the student. For example, you could prioritise using sensory-friendly fabrics, remove or cover irritants like labels and offer familiar base layers.

Be organised - Have all of the props, costumes, downloaded music and decorations ready to go! Make sure that you show your students where to find their props and costumes, and run through timings so they understand what the day will look like for them.

How Can Teachers Help Students Overcome Stage Fright On Performance Day?

Has it got to performance day, and some students are still fearful of the stage? Not to worry, this is often the case! Here are some helpful tips on how to overcome stage fright when performing.

Shake it off! - Get a gentle physical exercise going shortly before they go on stage. A great one is having your students shake their fingers, then their hands, and finally their arms and legs to literally shake the nerves off! Moving around will kick their happy hormones into gear and release some of that pent-up anxiety.
Watch something funny - Sometimes, all it takes is a video of funny cat or dog moments to ease the tension your students might be feeling! Watching something positive and lighthearted is a great way to remind your students that, like the video you are showing them, the musical is also lighthearted and fun!
Focus on slow breathing - It's a great idea to teach your students breathing techniques that will help them to slow their breath and calm them down. For example, Balloon Breathing has children imagine their stomach is a balloon, which they inflate by taking a deep breath in and deflate by slowly breathing out.
Constant support - Ease your kids’ stage fright and performance anxiety by reassuring them that even if they forget a line on stage, you will be nearby (whether you’re in front of them or off to the side) to remind them of their line. Sometimes a small prompt is all they need to take off and shine!
Remember to smile! - Remind your students to show off the cheesiest grin they can make! The act of putting on a big, wide smile, even when they may not feel like it, is a great way to get themselves in the right mood to belt out a couple of show tunes and embrace their role.

How Can Parents Help Children Overcome Stage Fright Before Performance Day?

As parents, you want your child to enjoy their school activities, especially school musicals. We are determined not to let stage fright get in the way of this! So, we have also provided a list of ways you can help your child overcome stage fright before their performance.

Rehearse at home! - With a jam-packed school day, sometimes it can be hard to fit in that extra rehearsal time during school hours or after school. Having your child practice with you will not only give them more confidence, but it will also better prepare them for performing in front of their loved ones on the day, too!
Reinforce positivity! - It might be the case that school rehearsals didn’t go well that day, or your child is fixating on the negative possibilities and outcomes of performing in the school musical. Simply reminding them that they can do this and removing any pressure or expectations may ease the anxiety they’re feeling.
Acknowledge their feelings - It is incredibly important to validate your child’s feelings and listen to their fears. Taking the time to understand and address their worries can be comforting. Sometimes, simply talking it out with a trusted adult can rationalise the negative thoughts and help to overcome stage fright!
Normalise stage fright - Feeling performance anxiety can sometimes leave a child feeling isolated in their worries. So, it’s a great idea to paint a picture of adults experiencing stage fright (and overcoming it), too! Helping your child to understand that people of all ages can suffer from stage fright can make them feel less alone and normalise the experience.
Praise their progress! - Rather than focusing on a mistake made or a line forgotten, praise your child for the lines they did remember and the improvements they have made. By focusing on the positives rather than the negatives, your child will feel less stressed about the parts they may not have aced this time around.

How Can Parents Help Children Overcome Stage Fright On Performance Day?

We’ve got to the big day, and your child still feels apprehensive about performing. There are still plenty of calming things you can do to reassure them and ease their worries!

Remove any pressure - Ensure your child that, no matter what happens, you are proud of them and that they should be proud of themselves! Although this one’s a given, having that talk can really ease their anxiety or feeling that they have to impress.
Ensure they’re well-fed and hydrated - A healthy and hearty breakfast can make a world of difference to your child’s energy on performance day and set them up for success. Also, making sure that they have their water bottle with them and are keeping hydrated will help them stay alert and ready to go!
The art of distraction - Sometimes, they just need to take their mind off what's coming and take a break from practice. So, letting them read their favourite book or watch an episode of their favourite show before school might just be exactly what they need to take the pressure off and relax!
Let them know where you’ll be - Watching your child’s worried expression as their eyes search for you in the audience can definitely pull at the heartstrings! If you can, it’s always a good idea to let them know where you’ll be sitting so they don’t have to search for you. This also gives them someone else to look at besides the teacher in case they are worried about looking out at an audience of unfamiliar faces.
Even if they stumble, stay positive - Say you are reciting lines on the way to school, and your child has a mind blank. Reassure them that it is normal to feel nervous before a performance and that all of their classmates will probably be feeling the same way!

Ready to Put on a School Musical?

Although being in a school musical can feel scary for children, by using our advice and tips, they can be as prepared as possible and excited to participate! If you are interested in putting on a school musical, feel free to browse our musicals for secondary schools collection.

You can also take a look at our blog on how to put on a school musical, or see what the most popular school musicals are! If you have any questions about our musical packs, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

How to Overcome Stage Fright for a School Musical