Do Pre-Show Rituals Actually Work? What Every Performer Needs to Know

Performance Pep Talk · May 13, 2026 · 12m

You wouldn't walk into an important meeting without preparing. So why are so many performers still winging it in those crucial minutes before they walk into the audition room?

So much of performance anxiety stems from a lack of control, and establishing a pre-performance routine is one of the ways we can regain control, stop "faking it til you make it," and feel grounded walking into any room.

In this episode of Performance Pep Talk, we get into the real science behind pre-show rituals: why they work, what to include, and how to build one that's flexible enough to actually hold up under…