ABSTRACT
Underlying the actor’s experience of stage fright is anxiety. Anxiety varies from person to person, and it has been wrestled with throughout history. Anxiety disorders have various features thought to exist in two forms: state anxiety and trait anxiety. State anxiety is a transitory or situational form of anxiety that is a reaction to a particular threat––resembling fear. Trait anxiety is a stable part of the personality which interprets a wide range of stimuli as threatening or dangerous. An actor’s unique experience of stage fright would be influenced if they are an anxiety-prone individual, as compared to an actor who does not encounter the world in this way. Stage fright is a specific type of anxiety. Not all actors who experience stage fright have a diagnosable condition, as it is a natural part of acting. The avoidance of anxiety is implicated in drug and alcohol abuse and in impaired interpersonal, work, and social functioning.
