Too Shy For Theater?

Are you too shy to talk to the waitress at a restaurant, or to call your best friend on the phone, or to tell your math teacher that you want to go to the library? If so, then you probably also think you're too shy for theater. You know what I mean--all the things on stage, memorizing lines, and singing and dancing! Well, I'm willing to bet that you're not! That first sentence is 100% true for me, and I thought that I was too shy for theater. Two years ago, I watched my brother do his first play, and I always wanted to be apart of theater so I did stage crew for that show. I really did like it, but, after a couple of plays, I got pretty bored sitting on the sidelines. But I still felt too shy to audition.

One day my brother was going to try out for a play, and I was thinking about trying out with him, so I texted my mom to ask her what she thought I should do. She said that she thought told I should, but I still wasn't convinced that I could do it--after all, I can't even raise my hand in class! Then, she told me that when you're acting you're no longer you, you become your character, and, while you may be shy, your character is not. So, I tried out. I remember I was so nervous that I couldn't even take off my coat or hand in my paper that tells the directors who I am by myself. But, still, I auditioned. I tried to act more confident than I actually was. Before I left auditions I hadn't realized how much I wanted to be in the play. I remember how I couldn't sleep that night, just hoping and praying that I would get in and imagining what it would be like to perform on stage. I did find out that morning that I was cast in the play and, even though I tried not to show it, in my head it was like I won a million bucks. I found out a couple days later that I had some speaking lines, so I was nervous, but I just remembered what my mom told me--that while I may be shy, Danni(my character) was not. Fast forward a month or so, and it was opening night. As soon as one person saw me, I thought I was going to throw up! I looked so nervous but I toughed it out and did not throw up, or forget my lines or cues. Now fast forward to the present, and I am in my second play, and this one is a musical! I even have a few solo singing lines which is completely new for me, but I wasn't nervous. The more you do theater, the longer you spend on a stage, the less nervous you will be. Now during performances I don't even get nervous! They say that when you're not nervous, you don't care but, I say, that when you're not nervous you care just enough to do things right. So don't think that you are to shy for theater--you really aren't. Do the thing!