How To Beat Stage Fright

Here's a link to a webpage that gives advice on the performer's nightmare, stage fright.

Some of the nuggets of wisdom included are:

Jason Alexander: "And as the curtain rose on that first night, I had a flash of intense vertigo, like I was going to pass out and couldn’t find my center. It sent me into a cold-sweat panic. Luckily, I held on, managed to perform, and warmed into the performance. But the next night as I stood on the stage waiting for the curtain to rise, I was in a panic that the experience might repeat itself. I worked myself up so much that when the curtain rose, the vertigo was even worse than the first night. Every night became a nightmare at the opening of the show. Once I got past the first scene, I would settle down and be all right. But since this had never happened to me before, it was very unsettling."

Robin Williams:"  I think that, especially in the beginning, nervousness is almost a natural response. It’s a bit like fight or flight. You go on stage and there’s an adrenaline rush."

Dave Goelz (Gonzo the Great): "The state I’m in when I go in there is alert—alert, and I know where the doors are. So if it really goes bad, I can get out and they’ll never see me again. I’ll be out the side door, get a taxi, and I’ll never run into those people again."