It’s opening night. The curtains are closed, you’re in center stage, and you’re hoping that at least someone in the audience will laugh at that one slick, yet corny joke that the script entailed. You’ve memorized your lines for the past three months, and you feel like you’re all set to get that standing ovation after a two-and-a-half hour performance that you feel like you deserve because you put your all into this production. When standing on that stage, nothing else matters. Performing and being in the presence of fellow cast members that enjoy the same thing that you do is the most liberating experience that I think anyone interested in this topic could imagine. Entertaining comes in many different forms. But putting on a live performance is a skilled and practiced talent that not many can do; but, if you can, you feel like you’ve hit the lottery every time you please a crowd.

When you’re on stage, nervousness is typical. But if you’re nervous, it reflects on your performance and that may not always work in your favor. Instead, you should view it as a way to get over your fears. Once you give it your all, you can feel the change in scenery once the audience begins to engage and interact with the show just as much as you are on the stage. Feeding off of the audience’s energy is a great tactic because you realize that it isn’t just about you, but it’s about the audience and their comfort. If you’re comfortable, then the audience should feel right at home.

In the well-known musical, "Kiss Me, Kate,"there is never a dry moment. Although some scenes are lengthy and wordy, you can’t help but to pay attention because the characters are lively with their actions. In the number "Too Darn Hot," you can see the intensity build with each dance move and lyric. The lead singer starts the score off alone with a few others, and as the rest of the cast members agree with his notion, the whole neighborhood joins in his distress that it’s too hot outside. It keeps the audience wondering what might happen next. Use this clip to learn how to keep up your energy so that there isn’t a closed eye in the theater. This video is a great example of how to keep the energy alive and keep the audience engaged in the story line.

It’s curtain call and the show is coming to a close, and the final score is being sung. The show went relatively well and everyone was pleased with the production. The roar of the crowds from fifteen rows back is astounding and you wouldn’t have it any other way. Being on stage isn’t just about showing the world that you memorized your lines, hit the highest note, and look beautiful doing it. It’s about sharing your talent with the crowd, and expressing yourself through your work. Performances have a mound of hard work woven between the lines, but at the end of the day, it all pays off once the curtain goes down and the smiling faces of thousands of people shine in the audience.