The Being On Stage Podcast

Life does not stop, we have to make time for our passion. Sometimes things will happen that keep you from moving forward. Maybe the Holidays are stressful with shopping and family visiting, decorating and making sure to plan for all the traditions. Perhaps you have a busy time a t work and the time you do get at home is taken up by family and household responsibilities. There is always going to be some big life thing going on that will prevent you from taking action, making rehearsal, posting on social media, or for me...pressing record. While in the moment all of these things are incredibly important, so is your dream. There has to come a time when you tell yourself and maybe even those you love “I HAVE TO DO THIS.” And then go do it. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance. Join the Community on Facebook Follow Reggie on Instagram or Twitter

“Whether Its 300 people, 3000 or 13,000 it has to feel like a celebration and you have to connect….I treat it like whether you are at the back or whether you are at the front, this is a night where something’s going to happen that can only happen there.” -Hugh Jackman on TODAY, 11/29/2018 Every show is unique. Your audience wants to experience something that is ‘one night only.’ They want to see you perform something special just for them and you can make them feel that. It's all in how well you connect with them. The easiest way to make a connection is to pretend like you are just hanging out with your closest friends, even if it is dozens or hundreds of them. You are there doing your thing with your friends. Thinking that way will keep you relaxed and more importantly, authentic. It is that cool confidence that will draw the audience to you and make the performance feel special. When you do this repeatedly, every single audience will feel like they got a unique show and no one else will see the same

Fear sucks the life out of you. Performers CANNOT thrive when fear is looming over us. How can you stomp out fear? First you need to recognize what type of fear you're facing. In this episode we cover the 3 most common types of fear that performers may face during their career. Attention, Judgement, and Success. When a performer is afraid of attention it is often called stage fright. Getting in front of people can be very scary for some people. The key here is getting your confidence up. When someone is afraid of judgement, they are held back because of what they THINK other people are thinking. Honestly - it doesn't matter what people think. Get on stage and do your thing. You audience will find you. The biggest fear for any one, performer or not, is the fear of success. Its natural for human being to keep to their comfort zone. But we cannot find success in our comfort zone. We have to take on new risks, face disappointments, put in more hard work, and live the dream we see for ourselves. REMEMBER - Subscri

Once you have the gig, how do you get people there? It is a common misconception that the venue is responsible for providing the audience. While in some cases they may, like at restaurants, but most of the time you will need to do some promoting yourself. The best way? Like everything else in life, social media ranks highest for successful promoting and there are SO many different ways to promote yourself, before, during and after a gig. Something simple like creating an event and actively posting in it. Each time you are booked you have an opportunity to show the venue that you are a good investment. People that come for you spend money at the venue...the more people the go, the more money is spent, the better of an investment you are and the more likely it is they have you back. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance. Join the Community on Facebook Follow Reggie on Instagram or Twitter

Maintaining contact with your audience is crucial for performers. People want to stay connected to you. Self-promotion means you are consistently promoting what you are doing. From preparing for a show, to learning new moves, your audience wants an inside look. How do you accomplish that? Social Media. You don’t need to hire anyone and you don’t have to be some big-shot know-it-all social media buff. You need a facebook page, instagram, and twitter all set up specifically for you stage persona. After that you just need a few hours a week, a couple apps on your phone, and VIOLA! Self-promotion. So what are these fancy apps? Simple and easy is what I call them. Buffer - Helps manage and schedule your posts. Video Editior - Any video editor will allow you to trim videos shot from your phone. Canva - Easy-to-use graphics website REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance. Join the Community on Facebook Follow Reggie on Instagram or Twitter

It’s inevitable. If something can go wrong it will. Performing on stage creates opportunity for things to go wrong. Whether you forgot a piece of your outfit, someone got hurt, the DJ did not cue the music correctly, maybe even a forgot or broken piece of equipment. Before you focus on that negative situation, stop! Assess the issue and move on to how you can fix it or work-around it. Sometimes a quick trip to the store can resolve the issue. Often times you may not get exactly what your original plan was but once you let those creative juices flow, you will be able to put something comparable together. After all the main purpose of performing is sharing your talent and connecting to your audience. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance. Join the Community on Facebook Follow Reggie on Instagram or Twitter

Every time you get on stage try to imagine what you want to audience to see. Then create that show and have confidence in what you created. Every performer has a vision before getting on stage. If not, get one. Take a moment to relax, close your eyes and visualize yourself on stage, what you are doing, where you are standing, your facial expressions. Think about the experience you want to give the audience. Once you have your vision, start creating it as you prepare for the performance. Rehearse the vision, not just the talent. Your talent is there, your vision is what will make your talent a performance. Sometimes we get on stage unsure of ourselves and unsure of the outcome of the performance.Trust your vision REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance. Join the Community on Facebook Follow Reggie on Instagram or Twitter

Your audience craves your attention. No matter how good you are you have to show your audience the attention they deserve. Making eye contact is the absolute best way to show your audience that you are their for them. People go to live performances for an experience. Something as simple as looking at someone can give them the experience they are after. You can communicate every emotion through just your eyes. This can be a double-edged sword. On one side you can make people feel energized and engaged; on the other you can make them nervous for you. You have to take command and show your audience what to feel. Show the emotion, share the joy, sadness, pain, wonderment. Your audience will follow your lead as long as you show them with eye contact. Think about those glances between parents or best friends. You know exactly what the other is saying just by a look. This has to be you on stage. You can tell your audience what to think, feel, and how to react just through eye contact. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the Roc

In order to keep growing we have to be open to that growth. In other words, Check the ego. When we begin performing we start out nervous and uneasy. As we continue growing and we start to gain fans we become susceptible to “The Large Ego Complex.” We feel untouchable, we feel like nothing and no one can destroy what we have built. It's addicting. The result? Skipped rehearsals, slacking on presentation, blaming the audience for “bad shows,” expecting other people to cater to you and just bend to your will. We all have the capability to reach that point. I did. I hit that point hard and for a very long time I was KING! How do you prevent it? How do you dig yourself out of it? Humility. You can’t hide behind a mask. You can’t hide behind your ego, that feeling of indestructibility. You have to strive to stay humble when you want to blow up. Keep yourself open to feedback, seek it out. Never stop taking the criticism in stride. There is a difference between knowing you are great and Acting like the greatEST. You

Being a performer is amazing, but the best part of being human is the ability to care and be passionate about more than one thing. We work hard, there is no denying that, but we also must live a FULL life. Part of doing that is experiencing new things and finding what else we enjoy spending time on. If you focus solely on one thing you will get burnt out and if prolonged, you will end up hating the very thing you once loved. We have to stay agile in our passions. It is human nature. Performing will mean that much more if you also spend time exploring other interests. In no way should you stop performing, but find interests that enhance what you do and make you feel good about yourself. Have Fun! REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance. Join the Community on Facebook Follow Reggie on Instagram or Twitter

Performers must set themselves apart from the moment we arrive. There should be no doubt that you are there for a purpose. People go to live events and shows for an experience and as the performer it is your job to give it to them. You appearance is a big part of that experience. People want to see a ROCKSTAR on stage not someone in t-shirt and jeans. You have to dress the part of a performer. Even before you are on stage, you have to appear as if you are there for a purpose. Put thought into what you want the audience to see while you are on stage. Do you want them to see someone just strumming away at a guitar? Some random guy doing a handstand? Some girl just playing with a hula hoop? Or do you want them to see a serious performer that takes their job seriously. Your job? To give them a show. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance. Join the Community on Facebook Follow Reggie on Instagram or Twitter

Dream Big. Dream Huge. Having a dream is incredibly important because a dream is a goal you are passionate about. Setting yourself a goal is a great way to push yourself to improve and make moves. So you have a long-term goal (the dream). How do you get there? The how is your short term goals or the little steps you have to take to reach that dream. Think about what you can do this week, today even, that will put you on the path toward that dream. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance. Join the Community on Facebook Follow Reggie on Instagram or Twitter

Asking for help is not always easy, especially for performers. At the same time, giving help is difficult for us as well. Something about that darn ego. We are proud people, performers. We like to figure things out on our own and feel weak if we don’t have it all together. But that should not be the case. We should always seek advice and help from others. Even more so we should also give advice freely to those seeking it. Who are we to impede another performers dreams. I have seen performers so reluctant to help someone else and even more so to accept help in return but how do we grow? We have to remain flexible and remember that we are all after our dreams. I am seeking one person to step up and be willing to put in a little work. I want to build your online home AND show you how easy it is to manage your social media and build your fanbase. I need one person that is ready to get after their dreams to let me give this to you as a free gift. If you thing that is you CLICK HERE and let’s find out! REMEMBER - S

There is not really a secret to getting more opportunities to perform. You have to want it and you have put in some work to make it happen. Rehearsal means nothing without a performance. How are you going to get a performance? Are you going to wait for someone to find you? If you wait to be discovered, you will die in rehearsal. You have to get out there and get after it my friend. You may have to make some tough choices - videogames or look for venues or events to reach out to? Watch T.V. or create some content to share on social media? Go out drinking or create an email to send out about my upcoming shows? These step are actually so small they can all get done in less than an hour. You just have to learn how. I am seeking one person to step up and be willing to put in a little work. I want to build your online home AND show you how easy it is to manage your social media and build your fanbase. I need one person that is ready to get after their dreams to let me give this to you as a free gift. If you thing t

There are people that will come into your life and although they may not stay long, they have a huge impact on your life. This episode is dedicated to my dearly departed friend, Steven Gallant a.k.a Mercedes, Queen of Hearts. We were not best friends, more like acquaintances, but he was my Yoda when I first started performing. Many of the lessons he taught me are still with me today and here is where I share my favorite pieces of wisdom that he shared with me over 11 years ago. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance Join us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram

Not Everyone in the audience came for you. You have to turn them, make them interested in your art. Too often performers believe the audience is already theirs just by stepping on stage when in fact 80% of most audiences have no idea who the act is. They just showed up for a drink or a meal or to hang with friends. Your performance just happens to be the entertainment for the time being. It is your job as a performer to entertain, to show the audience a good time. Not only that but you also have a personal agenda. You need to make them your fans. So how does that happen? Magic! In reality the magic is your interaction. Mingle before you perform, give people a reason to pay attention. During the performance make eye contact, smile, high five. Given to opportunity actually talk to people while on stage. Then after the show, don’t just pack up and leave. Stay. Mingle some more, even better, ask people for feedback. That really makes people feel important and invested. Just show people the love you want the to sh

Performers can avoid BIG show mistakes by having the sense to ask questions about the venue and patrons. Mistakes will certainly happen, that's an unavoidable truth but wouldn’t it be nice to prepare for some of the big mistakes? There is really nothing worse than showing up for a gig and realizing you're not right for this audience. Of course, you are a professional so you go on and give the best damn show you can but when its not a good fit, its not a good fit. But then there is planning a show with 6 dancers and an impressive kickline only to be met with a performance space that rivals your closet. Lastly, there is the need to change your clothes in the beer closet only covered by a curtain that MAY get closed when the bartender leaves. (True Story) The Lesson: Ask the right questions to make better decisions about your performance. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance Join us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram

Trying to get booked is challenging, even more so if you are afraid to follow-up. Send the Second E-mail. There are many reasons you have not heard a response about a performance opportunity and not all of them are bad. Sometimes e-mail boxes are not monitored, maybe this is not actually the preferred communication method. Not everyone stays on top of their email or checks their facebook messages daily. Perhaps they are taking it under consideration, running it by other people and just has not gotten around to responding. This is why it is important and most times necessary to send a second follow-up email. In rare instances you may even send a third using an alternate communication method. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance Join us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram

Performers face many obstacles in their career but the biggest one is that inner voice screaming “YOU CAN’T DO IT!” That voice you hear is yourself. Ironically enough, you have control over that voice. The biggest obstacle will always be yourself. As a performer, you must eliminate that negative self-talk and just get going. You have fears, yes, but you also have dreams. Fear cannot ruin your dreams unless you allow it to happen. First, make the decision that your dream is worth fighting for, that it's worth breaking down obstacles. Then, get to work. Push yourself to grow and just keep going. Don’t look back. REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance Join us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram

Much like a sculptor has to smooth his design, the painter has to work in the detail, the performer must polish his performance. You have the idea, great, now what? You have the creativity to think up an amazing performance, now put in the work to bring it to life. Don’t get lazy with it, don’t procrastinate your rehearsal. Get in there are polish up that show, smooth out those rough edges, spend some time on the details. This could mean anything from working on choreography to crafting an outfit to building props. This is your dream, right? Shouldn’t you act like it? REMEMBER - Subscribe to the RockStar Lounge for even more tips and tools to improve your stage performance Join us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Instagram