Student Blog: Moment Before

The moment before is one of the first things you learn when studying acting and theatre. The concept is meant to ignite what happens next - what makes you need to sing or say a monologue as your character. For me, it's something I learned long before I fully understood how much it would shape me. From my point of view, before I stepped into my character, that pause before stepping onstage became a place of connection, concentration, and quiet gratitude.

In all honesty, I haven’t been in a stage production since my senior year of high school, and it’s something that I miss so much, especially the traditions that come with it. The moments before I went onstage helped me connect so deeply with myself and my castmates, and they have also shaped me so much as a person. I believe that grounding yourself and getting in touch with the truth behind the art you are making is so important, and it helps you step into characters and their worlds in a whole new way. For me, traditions and rituals are an essential and fun way to acknowledge and center my feelings before going onstage, allowing me to step into a performance with intention and clarity. Whether it's nerves, excitement, or anticipation, taking a little while to meet myself where I am and step into a different world has always been an essential part of my process.

One of the very first, and most important, steps in my preparation process is a vocal warm-up. I like to go into a space where I am alone and can comfortably warm up without worrying about my own volume or noise around me. Being consistent with a vocal warm-up really helps me feel prepared, almost like tuning an instrument, and it also helps me tune myself to be present and confident. My vocal warm-ups change day to day depending on how my voice is feeling, but I always make sure to give my voice as much care as I can - constantly hydrating, drinking tea when needed, and getting lots of rest. The truth is, as humans, our voices aren't the same every day, but taking care of them through healthy routines helps me to feel more prepared and confident. This moment alone, making sound in a way that feels authentic to me, helps me really ground myself and focus on what’s ahead.

Before going onstage in high school, one of my favorite things was being with my castmates and doing our warm-up together. It’s a tradition in our department that has been around for a long time. In our warm-up, we’d all gather in a circle and play a chant-like game before every show that helped us shake off our nerves and share our excitement with each other, connecting for a few minutes and giving encouragement before stepping onstage. It was a simple tradition, but it always helped me focus and feel connected, like we were all in it together before the show even started. Watching everyone prepare in their own way always helped to remind me that I wasn’t alone in my nervous feelings. Looking back, I’m so grateful for those moments, because they weren’t just about preparing to perform, but they also helped us build trust and energy as a group. Spending that time together made going onstage feel less intimidating and more like we were creating something special together. Even now, I still feel that connection when I warm up or perform, and I know those shared moments are a big part of why theatre means so much to me.

The last (and arguably most important) step of my preparation before performing is meditation. I like to take about ten minutes before I go on stage to lie down comfortably and check in with my mind and body. Doing a full-body mental scan is super important for me because it lets me check in with each part of my body. This is also something that often changes, but taking the time to notice how my body is feeling on a given day really allows me to meet myself where I am at and also be patient with my body. As artists, we are often very demanding of our bodies, constantly dancing or moving. This, in turn, often leads to exhaustion and even injury, so it's extremely important to remind myself to be gentle with my body. As much as I want to keep going and going, breaks and modifications are so important for developing healthy practices. Instead of ignoring or pushing through the pain, taking a little while to acknowledge and care for anything that may be going on with my body is huge. Maintaining these healthy practices is something I have continued to value throughout my time as a performer, and they have become increasingly important in my life, especially when experiencing burnout or general exhaustion. Overall, taking a little while to align the mind and body is one of my most valued steps in my preparation, and it helps me to always feel in tune with myself and my work.

All of these traditions, warming up my voice, spending quiet time with myself, and sharing moments with my castmates, lead me to the same place: the moment before. The brief in-between space is where preparation meets presence for me, and where my nerves begin to fade. It’s the place where I get to step fully into my work, remembering everything I’ve learned and prepared for, and leading with confidence and love for what I do and the stories I get to tell.