I don't have much stage fright, but it has happened. And usually more with smaller crowds than large. And when I've analysed "why did I get scared there?". It's not because I've been looked at, that is a given. It's because I know that THEY can see what I AM looking at, and how I react and so forth, and read my emotions, that vulnerability and intimacy; the intensity of that; can at times feel a bit chaotic and worrisome. The "Oh, they can see right through me! I'm a scared little boy!"-thing. It can hit you hard! And the audience become what like a beautiful/perfect woman can be for many (me included) men; "the judging ideal"! It's like she/they can see all your faults, and she's/they're perfection in the flesh. You feel intimidated and you might feel like a fraud (What am I doing here? This is way beyond my depth! I'm ridiculous! etc. etc.) It's a trick of the mind, and a lie, which most anxiety issues are, the roaring lion isn't there, but the mind believe so, and the brain is commanding the release of massive amounts of cortisol into the system; BAM! And you freeze; the prey response. But like with the perfect woman, if you knew them, the audience isn't perfect either. It's like after you've mustered the courage to talk to this "perfect woman", which you have to do if you want to be around her, or perhaps even be in a relationship with her, you learn that she too!, has problems,shortcomings, doubts, self esteem issues etc, she's a normal, REAL person, like you and everyone else, right? So the real person is not the judging ideal you believed at first. This will either make you relieved or make you lose interest. The point is though: If you're gonna have a relationship, one that's honest, you have to sacrifice the ideal for the real person. This insight is often enough to at least take the worst sting off. I go through stuff like this in my mind. Plus also audiences are there to have a good time, that's their intent and motivation most of the time, so they are friendly and forgiving, unless 100% of them are miserable, resentful bastards! Well, if that's the case: they deserve to pay the money for the ticket and your worst performance, 'cause they wouldn't be satisfied with your best, anyway (So what's the point?). Think of it like that. I wouldn't recommend taking medication or drugs. One off acute instances is fine, but not as a strategy. But that!; everyone knows. Keeping these things in mind works most of the time for me, at least. In the cases they don't : that's when the sunglasses comes on, and the problem disappear. 'Cause now, they CAN'T SEE ME. Now, I'm "playing a role." So if they laugh at me; it's the character I'm playing, right? Not really me. A fake smile looks real when you wear sunglasses. And! they can't see what or where I'm looking, I can now observe from safety. Like a social anthropology student observing and studying the life of the crowd from the perspective of the stage. I'm writing all this DOWN!; you know? This is nothing but research, for my amateur science project I've got going, don't you know?
