Hypnosis and the Stage

Today I read a really nice piece in Brian David Phillips blog http://briandavidphillips.typepad.com regarding hypnosis and stage fright. How nice to find out that it is a known fact by many actors that hypnosis works! Stage fright does absolutely cause physical symptoms such as severe sweating, rapid pulse, dizziness and increased blood pressure and even hyperventilation.

Two summers ago, my dog, was given a part in "The Wizard of Oz" with the Diablo Light Opera Company in Walnut Creek, California, as Toto. I was the trainer, so I was backstage all the time running underground from stage left to stage right releasing the dog on stage and calling the dog off stage as needed. I even put ear plugs in the dog for the tornado scene.

Anyway, when I mentioned hypnosis, to some of the actors, as a way to get a handle on their stage fright I quickly realized it was a tool that they didn't even know existed. Well, by the end of the summer hypnosis was so well received that for the cast part at the end of the production they all looked forward to my hypnosis stage show.

I wish I had Brian David Phillips article then. I would have loved to have shared it with the cast.