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mysteries
mysteries [Music]
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[Applause] it was a crisp cold night I was starring
it was a crisp cold night I was starring
it was a crisp cold night I was starring in a show I had dreamed about doing for
in a show I had dreamed about doing for
in a show I had dreamed about doing for years my first big break I was backstage
years my first big break I was backstage
years my first big break I was backstage in the wings and I was wearing my
in the wings and I was wearing my
in the wings and I was wearing my beautiful white long gown covered with
beautiful white long gown covered with
beautiful white long gown covered with glittering jewels the curls of my dark
glittering jewels the curls of my dark
glittering jewels the curls of my dark hair cascading down my shoulders adorned
hair cascading down my shoulders adorned
hair cascading down my shoulders adorned with flowers I heard my cue it was time
with flowers I heard my cue it was time
with flowers I heard my cue it was time for my entrance I glided onto the stage
for my entrance I glided onto the stage
for my entrance I glided onto the stage immediately blinded by the stage lights
immediately blinded by the stage lights
immediately blinded by the stage lights but I was used to that now not being
but I was used to that now not being
but I was used to that now not being able to see the audience of 2,500 people
able to see the audience of 2,500 people
able to see the audience of 2,500 people sitting in the dark and theater The
sitting in the dark and theater The
sitting in the dark and theater The Phantom stood behind me gently
Phantom stood behind me gently
Phantom stood behind me gently whispering words it was time for my solo
whispering words it was time for my solo
whispering words it was time for my solo I began to sing my voice crystal clear I
I began to sing my voice crystal clear I
I began to sing my voice crystal clear I began to sing higher and higher yet I
began to sing higher and higher yet I
began to sing higher and higher yet I began climbing the octave my hands
began climbing the octave my hands
began climbing the octave my hands started to shake
started to shake
started to shake I heard the orchestra swell and just as
I heard the orchestra swell and just as
I heard the orchestra swell and just as we got to the pinnacle of the song the
we got to the pinnacle of the song the
we got to the pinnacle of the song the notes got stuck in my throat I took a
notes got stuck in my throat I took a
notes got stuck in my throat I took a step back I took a deep breath into my
step back I took a deep breath into my
step back I took a deep breath into my diaphragm I gathered up all of my
diaphragm I gathered up all of my
diaphragm I gathered up all of my training and once again I reached and
training and once again I reached and
training and once again I reached and nothing silence I froze I looked at the
nothing silence I froze I looked at the
nothing silence I froze I looked at the conductor who was scrambling to get the
conductor who was scrambling to get the
conductor who was scrambling to get the musicians to skip to the end of the song
musicians to skip to the end of the song
musicians to skip to the end of the song The Phantom came up to my left looking
The Phantom came up to my left looking
The Phantom came up to my left looking at me as if to say are you okay no I was
at me as if to say are you okay no I was
at me as if to say are you okay no I was not okay my face was flushed my knees
not okay my face was flushed my knees
not okay my face was flushed my knees were shaking my heart was beating
were shaking my heart was beating
were shaking my heart was beating ferociously out of my chest
ferociously out of my chest
ferociously out of my chest and five thousand eyes were looking at
and five thousand eyes were looking at
and five thousand eyes were looking at me every actors nightmare stage fright
me every actors nightmare stage fright
me every actors nightmare stage fright had gripped me and taken me hostage I
had gripped me and taken me hostage I
had gripped me and taken me hostage I walked off stage right and moments later
walked off stage right and moments later
walked off stage right and moments later the audience heard ladies and gentlemen
the audience heard ladies and gentlemen
the audience heard ladies and gentlemen for the remainder of this performance
for the remainder of this performance
for the remainder of this performance the role of Christine Daae a will be
the role of Christine Daae a will be
the role of Christine Daae a will be played by and my understudies name was
played by and my understudies name was
played by and my understudies name was read this is where my journey began my
read this is where my journey began my
read this is where my journey began my quest to ensure that I would never
quest to ensure that I would never
quest to ensure that I would never experience another moment like that
experience another moment like that
experience another moment like that again I began training myself in ways
again I began training myself in ways
again I began training myself in ways that help me not over not only overcome
that help me not over not only overcome
that help me not over not only overcome the stage fright but help me take
the stage fright but help me take
the stage fright but help me take powerfully center stage of my career and
powerfully center stage of my career and
powerfully center stage of my career and my life and I’m going to share with you
my life and I’m going to share with you
my life and I’m going to share with you three tips to help me do that
three tips to help me do that
three tips to help me do that so before returning to phantom I knew
so before returning to phantom I knew
so before returning to phantom I knew that the stakes were high producers for
that the stakes were high producers for
that the stakes were high producers for watching me under studies were in the
watching me under studies were in the
watching me under studies were in the wings waiting to take my job I knew I
wings waiting to take my job I knew I
wings waiting to take my job I knew I had to shift quickly so the first thing
had to shift quickly so the first thing
had to shift quickly so the first thing I did I went to see my acting teacher
I did I went to see my acting teacher
I did I went to see my acting teacher and after telling him what happened he
and after telling him what happened he
and after telling him what happened he yells at me who do you think you are I
yells at me who do you think you are I
yells at me who do you think you are I braced myself for a dramatic acting
braced myself for a dramatic acting
braced myself for a dramatic acting teacher lecture but instead he asked me
teacher lecture but instead he asked me
teacher lecture but instead he asked me to write a list of all the qualities
to write a list of all the qualities
to write a list of all the qualities that I thought made me who I am all
that I thought made me who I am all
that I thought made me who I am all right so I wrote down I’m passionate I’m
right so I wrote down I’m passionate I’m
right so I wrote down I’m passionate I’m loving I’m kind I’m strong and I have a
loving I’m kind I’m strong and I have a
loving I’m kind I’m strong and I have a good sense of humor he said really is
good sense of humor he said really is
good sense of humor he said really is that it
that it
that it who are you that you don’t want anyone
who are you that you don’t want anyone
who are you that you don’t want anyone to see I didn’t like this acting
to see I didn’t like this acting
to see I didn’t like this acting exercise anymore I stared at him a
exercise anymore I stared at him a
exercise anymore I stared at him a moment and I said I’m afraid I won’t
moment and I said I’m afraid I won’t
moment and I said I’m afraid I won’t measure up I’m scared I’m insecure I’m
measure up I’m scared I’m insecure I’m
measure up I’m scared I’m insecure I’m impatient we added more to the list he
impatient we added more to the list he
impatient we added more to the list he said good I want you to take this list
said good I want you to take this list
said good I want you to take this list back to the dressing room I want you to
back to the dressing room I want you to
back to the dressing room I want you to read it every night before going on
read it every night before going on
read it every night before going on stage now go back and really play
stage now go back and really play
stage now go back and really play Christine what did this have to do with
Christine what did this have to do with
Christine what did this have to do with my nerves
my nerves
my nerves well I went back into the show and that
well I went back into the show and that
well I went back into the show and that night when I got to that song my hands
night when I got to that song my hands
night when I got to that song my hands started to shake again all the nerves
started to shake again all the nerves
started to shake again all the nerves started acting up in my body again and
started acting up in my body again and
started acting up in my body again and in that moment I knew I had to make a
in that moment I knew I had to make a
in that moment I knew I had to make a choice I had to stop fighting and just
choice I had to stop fighting and just
choice I had to stop fighting and just surrender to the vulnerability of being
surrender to the vulnerability of being
surrender to the vulnerability of being seen my list I opened up to my own
seen my list I opened up to my own
seen my list I opened up to my own yearning my own strength my own
yearning my own strength my own
yearning my own strength my own compassion my own confusion my own love
compassion my own confusion my own love
compassion my own confusion my own love fear all of it it all existed that night
fear all of it it all existed that night
fear all of it it all existed that night I embodied the role with all of who I
I embodied the role with all of who I
I embodied the role with all of who I was by the time I finished that
was by the time I finished that
was by the time I finished that performance tears streaked down my face
performance tears streaked down my face
performance tears streaked down my face my christine daaé a began to have
my christine daaé a began to have
my christine daaé a began to have layers of depth in color I didn’t know I
layers of depth in color I didn’t know I
layers of depth in color I didn’t know I had access to before I learned that I
had access to before I learned that I
had access to before I learned that I was giving my best performances because
was giving my best performances because
was giving my best performances because my vulnerability and my strength were
my vulnerability and my strength were
my vulnerability and my strength were side by side I finally allowed my unique
side by side I finally allowed my unique
side by side I finally allowed my unique authentic self to emerge so if any of
authentic self to emerge so if any of
authentic self to emerge so if any of you have stage fright in the moment take
you have stage fright in the moment take
you have stage fright in the moment take a deep breath accept it acknowledge it
a deep breath accept it acknowledge it
a deep breath accept it acknowledge it know that your audience isn’t there to
know that your audience isn’t there to
know that your audience isn’t there to judge you they’re there because they
judge you they’re there because they
judge you they’re there because they want to connect with you and my first
want to connect with you and my first
want to connect with you and my first tip is trust that all of who you are is
tip is trust that all of who you are is
tip is trust that all of who you are is enough and needed well I still had some
enough and needed well I still had some
enough and needed well I still had some work to do with the nerves so the second
work to do with the nerves so the second
work to do with the nerves so the second thing I realized was that my imagination
thing I realized was that my imagination
thing I realized was that my imagination had been conjuring up all these stories
had been conjuring up all these stories
had been conjuring up all these stories disaster stories of what might happen so
disaster stories of what might happen so
disaster stories of what might happen so I thought I’d forget my lines I thought
I thought I’d forget my lines I thought
I thought I’d forget my lines I thought I’d fall center stage and a heap
I’d fall center stage and a heap
I’d fall center stage and a heap engulfed in my stage costume I also
engulfed in my stage costume I also
engulfed in my stage costume I also realized that my imagination had been
realized that my imagination had been
realized that my imagination had been conjuring up the story that the actor
conjuring up the story that the actor
conjuring up the story that the actor next to me wearing a half a white
next to me wearing a half a white
next to me wearing a half a white plastic mask a black tuxedo living in
plastic mask a black tuxedo living in
plastic mask a black tuxedo living in the basement of an opera house
the basement of an opera house
the basement of an opera house mysteriously magically appearing to give
mysteriously magically appearing to give
mysteriously magically appearing to give me voice lessons was also real both were
me voice lessons was also real both were
me voice lessons was also real both were my imagination
my imagination
my imagination in the first I was not in the driver’s
in the first I was not in the driver’s
in the first I was not in the driver’s seat and the second I was so I knew I
seat and the second I was so I knew I
seat and the second I was so I knew I could reframe these negative thoughts so
could reframe these negative thoughts so
could reframe these negative thoughts so I began practicing daily using my
I began practicing daily using my
I began practicing daily using my imagination to envision the end result
imagination to envision the end result
imagination to envision the end result that I wanted standing confidently on
that I wanted standing confidently on
that I wanted standing confidently on stage connected to my fellow actors
stage connected to my fellow actors
stage connected to my fellow actors strong in my vocal delivery I began
strong in my vocal delivery I began
strong in my vocal delivery I began thinking about the adrenaline the energy
thinking about the adrenaline the energy
thinking about the adrenaline the energy as good it was just energy wanting to be
as good it was just energy wanting to be
as good it was just energy wanting to be expressed
expressed
expressed I went further and thought about all the
I went further and thought about all the
I went further and thought about all the unlimited possibilities that could come
unlimited possibilities that could come
unlimited possibilities that could come from each performance and pretty soon
from each performance and pretty soon
from each performance and pretty soon the stage fright began to be much less
the stage fright began to be much less
the stage fright began to be much less interesting than the amazing successes I
interesting than the amazing successes I
interesting than the amazing successes I was making up in my mind but the stage
was making up in my mind but the stage
was making up in my mind but the stage began to be my playground
began to be my playground
began to be my playground I was having fun so let me ask you this
I was having fun so let me ask you this
I was having fun so let me ask you this do you remember when you were young
do you remember when you were young
do you remember when you were young remember how you play all day long
remember how you play all day long
remember how you play all day long making up imaginary games anybody do
making up imaginary games anybody do
making up imaginary games anybody do that army games tea parties didn’t
that army games tea parties didn’t
that army games tea parties didn’t anybody have an imaginary friend yeah do
anybody have an imaginary friend yeah do
anybody have an imaginary friend yeah do you remember I have fun that one’s why
you remember I have fun that one’s why
you remember I have fun that one’s why have we forgotten that our imagination
have we forgotten that our imagination
have we forgotten that our imagination is one of the most powerful tools we
is one of the most powerful tools we
is one of the most powerful tools we possess you can use it right now to
possess you can use it right now to
possess you can use it right now to alleviate symptoms of stress you can
alleviate symptoms of stress you can
alleviate symptoms of stress you can call it forth at will just as you did as
call it forth at will just as you did as
call it forth at will just as you did as a child to give you freedom I’m not
a child to give you freedom I’m not
a child to give you freedom I’m not suggesting you live in a little
suggesting you live in a little
suggesting you live in a little childlike fantasy and it’s not positive
childlike fantasy and it’s not positive
childlike fantasy and it’s not positive thinking it’s actually a leadership
thinking it’s actually a leadership
thinking it’s actually a leadership mindset use your imagination with
mindset use your imagination with
mindset use your imagination with intention to choose what you want to
intention to choose what you want to
intention to choose what you want to experience and why with a willingness to
experience and why with a willingness to
experience and why with a willingness to believe it exists actors use this all
believe it exists actors use this all
believe it exists actors use this all the time
the time
the time athletes use this it’s mind rehearsal so
athletes use this it’s mind rehearsal so
athletes use this it’s mind rehearsal so if you practice over and over and over
if you practice over and over and over
if you practice over and over and over again with details by the time you get
again with details by the time you get
again with details by the time you get into your public speaking event your job
into your public speaking event your job
into your public speaking event your job interview your boardroom meeting that
interview your boardroom meeting that
interview your boardroom meeting that first date that toast at a wedding
first date that toast at a wedding
first date that toast at a wedding you’re already in peak mind and body
you’re already in peak mind and body
you’re already in peak mind and body state
state
state so visualize your end result that’s tip
so visualize your end result that’s tip
so visualize your end result that’s tip 2
2
2 my third tip is ground your body I’m
my third tip is ground your body I’m
my third tip is ground your body I’m going to show you some tips to loosen up
going to show you some tips to loosen up
going to show you some tips to loosen up nerves from your body and command the
nerves from your body and command the
nerves from your body and command the room so first take some deep breaths
room so first take some deep breaths
room so first take some deep breaths into your diaphragm 5 deep breaths while
into your diaphragm 5 deep breaths while
into your diaphragm 5 deep breaths while moving your arms and the energy ground
moving your arms and the energy ground
moving your arms and the energy ground your feet to the floor
your feet to the floor
your feet to the floor bring your shoulders back and walk with
bring your shoulders back and walk with
bring your shoulders back and walk with an even gate it gives you the air of
an even gate it gives you the air of
an even gate it gives you the air of confidence even if you’re not feeling it
confidence even if you’re not feeling it
confidence even if you’re not feeling it rest your eyes on your audience
rest your eyes on your audience
rest your eyes on your audience resting your eyes 3 seconds or more in a
resting your eyes 3 seconds or more in a
resting your eyes 3 seconds or more in a person lets them know you’re present and
person lets them know you’re present and
person lets them know you’re present and that they matter and focus only on
that they matter and focus only on
that they matter and focus only on sharing your message with others so the
sharing your message with others so the
sharing your message with others so the three tools ground your body visualize
three tools ground your body visualize
three tools ground your body visualize your end result and trust that all of
your end result and trust that all of
your end result and trust that all of who you are is enough and needed so by
who you are is enough and needed so by
who you are is enough and needed so by using these tools I was able to release
using these tools I was able to release
using these tools I was able to release my stage right and I have had the joy of
my stage right and I have had the joy of
my stage right and I have had the joy of singing with the three tenors Jose
singing with the three tenors Jose
singing with the three tenors Jose Carreras at Radio City Music Hall
Carreras at Radio City Music Hall
Carreras at Radio City Music Hall singing for presidents royal dignitaries
singing for presidents royal dignitaries
singing for presidents royal dignitaries and standing right where John Lennon
and standing right where John Lennon
and standing right where John Lennon stood recording my own CD at Abbey Road
stood recording my own CD at Abbey Road
stood recording my own CD at Abbey Road Studios in England with the National
Studios in England with the National
Studios in England with the National Symphony I could not have imagined these
Symphony I could not have imagined these
Symphony I could not have imagined these possibilities doing phantom people ask
possibilities doing phantom people ask
possibilities doing phantom people ask me if sometimes I’m still nervous before
me if sometimes I’m still nervous before
me if sometimes I’m still nervous before performing yeah sometimes but I’m happy
performing yeah sometimes but I’m happy
performing yeah sometimes but I’m happy to say that in over 15 years and
to say that in over 15 years and
to say that in over 15 years and thousands of performances not one
thousands of performances not one
thousands of performances not one understudy has ever gone on for me again
it’s not about overcoming fear it’s
it’s not about overcoming fear it’s about instead turning your attention
about instead turning your attention
about instead turning your attention towards your commitment to use your
towards your commitment to use your
towards your commitment to use your passion and share your ideas your wisdom
passion and share your ideas your wisdom
passion and share your ideas your wisdom your life with others you know data says
your life with others you know data says
your life with others you know data says that the number one fear among all
that the number one fear among all
that the number one fear among all people even above death is the fear of
people even above death is the fear of
people even above death is the fear of public speaking I asked you and invite
public speaking I asked you and invite
public speaking I asked you and invite you to question how can we collectively
you to question how can we collectively
you to question how can we collectively change this
change this
change this what if the world instead had the number
what if the world instead had the number
what if the world instead had the number one fear being not speaking up not
one fear being not speaking up not
one fear being not speaking up not sharing yourself you know William
sharing yourself you know William
sharing yourself you know William Shakespeare has this wonderful quote all
Shakespeare has this wonderful quote all
Shakespeare has this wonderful quote all the world’s a stage don’t let fear keep
the world’s a stage don’t let fear keep
the world’s a stage don’t let fear keep you in the wings set yourself free walk
you in the wings set yourself free walk
you in the wings set yourself free walk boldly onto the stage of your life with
boldly onto the stage of your life with
boldly onto the stage of your life with courage confidence and joy creating
courage confidence and joy creating
courage confidence and joy creating unlimited possibilities thank you
unlimited possibilities thank you
unlimited possibilities thank you [Applause]
”
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