I open as the lead in Rogers and Hammerstien’s “Cinderella” in TWO days, and I am just wondering if anyone has any pointers that could help me calm down before the show. I have been in shows before, and had the lead before, but the lead I had was “Puck” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and I didn’t really have to be “pretty” for that role… for this role, however, it’s very important that I not have a red face. I wear enough makeup on my face that it’s really not a problem, but you can still see it in my ears… they turn hot pink… Not just when I get on stage, either. My face has ALWAYS blushed very easily whenever I am nervous, or exerting myself, such as a basketball practice. I am in good shape, but it still happens. Is there a reason for this chronic red face? It gets all hot and makes me very uncomfortable.
Perhaps I am just stuck with it. Either way, I have always been curious as to why it happens. It’s been this way my whole life.
Yes, there is a reason for the red face: Heredity. It’s the curse of a Northern European ancestry. I’m also one of the red ones. Two hours after the aerobics class I still look like I just finished jumping around. You may also have rosacea to look forward to when you hit about 35. Yippee.
Not much you can do about it, although I’ve been told that using a makeup base with green in it will tone the redness down.
So what is it you’re nervous about? Obviously, you a good actress and singer, or you would never have gotten such a wonderful part. Do you know your lines? Your songs? Your cues? Of course, you do, you’ve been rehearsing this for quite some time now. You’re no more likely to forget a line with an audience as without. And so what if you do. There are other actors on stage with you. They’ll help you if somehow you happen to make some little mistake.
Spend your time before the show, while you’re getting into costume and makeup, thinking about Cinderella, who she is, what she wants, what she dreams. Spend your time focusing on those things, and don’t allow yourself any time to think about anything bad that you think might happen but has probably never happened in the entire history of musical theatre.
Best advice – just go on stage and do what you’ve been doing in rehearsal all this time. And put some makeup on your ears, too. Just in case you’re not exaggerating about that.