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A producer had arranged an informal audition for Judy Garland, to be held in the producer's hotel suite. This was toward the end of the singer's career. It was for an upcoming Broadway musical. Garland never showed up. Later, she was found huddled in the building's freight elevator, where she had been for hours.

I wonder if she ever asked herself why she had such stage fright.

And what about you?

Do you imagine you would--

Trip and fall flat on your face on the way to the podium?

Stammer?

Stutter?

Be unable to swallow?

Be unable to breathe?

Lose your voice?

Lose your poise?

Lose your place?

Forget your speech?

Stand there gaping, wordless and paralyzed?

Turn crimson with shame?

Tremble or shake uncontrollably?

Go numb and feel detached from your body?

Seem ridiculous --

Unintelligent --

Uninspired --

Incompetent --

Hopeless?

Have to be helped off the podium and led away?

Cry?

Faint?

Have a heart attack?

Die?

Or, do you think the audience would --

Be bored to death?

Talk to one another during your speech?

Shout, "Get him/her off!"?

Stand up and leave?

Do you suppose your colleagues would --

Be happy you made a fool of yourself?

Lose respect for you?

Make fun of you?

Pity you?

Gossip about your stage fright?

Demote you?

Fire you?

Would you -

Never recover?

Go into hiding?

Feel like killing yourself?

Kill yourself?

Or would ---

Your husband divorce you?

Your children reject you?

Your friends avoid you?

Your Cocker Spaniel no longer wiggle at you?

If you answered yes to more than five of these questions...we sympathize. Some fears are real, of course, but many of these fantasies are preposterous; and universally held. No wonder countless people have stage fright. Now, read the list again, and ask yourself how many of these wild imaginings might actually happen to you. None? Maybe one or two?

We hope this will enable you to become more objective about your fear of public speaking, since, hard as it may be to believe, it does not have to be torture; it can be fun and exhilarating. (If you think we have left something out, let us know. Our e-mail address is on the "Contact Us" page of the Public Speaking Training by Broadway Actors web site; just click below.)

FDR said it better than anyone, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Your fear of public speaking, your stage fright, is probably the main obstacle to your excelling as a public speaker, for being expressive is everyone's birth right. So look your stage fright in the eye, then wave it goodbye. If this is easier said than done, consider partaking in some concentrated work with a trainer. But at least try to be more level-headed about your stage fright. Do not defeat yourself as Judy Garland did; allow yourself to be heard. Stand tall, open your wings and fly!