Music Performance Anxiety in Musical Theater Performers: A Pilot Study

Performance anxiety (PA) is debilitating and impacts the sufferer's ability to perform. Forgetfulness, concentration loss, and physical symptoms develop, leading to some giving up performing.
Methods: An online questionnaire was used to gather data, including demographic questions and the Kenny Music Performance Anxiety Inventory (K-MPAI). The questionnaire was distributed via social media and the British Association for Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) database. Data was collected over a 2-month period and was analyzed using simple proportions with a score of ≥ 104 on the K-MPAI indicating the presence of PA and ≥ 130 indicating notable levels of PA.
Results: Thirty-three participants completed the questionnaire (57.6% female). When looking at the ages of participants (18 to 80), the most common age range was 31 to 35 (33%). Two-thirds of participants were deemed to suffer from PA after completing the K-MPAI. A large proportion of participants with PA (63.6%) scored above the threshold score of 130 indicating "significant performance anxiety." Females or currently unemployed performers showed higher levels of PA than other subgroups. However, a chi-squared test showed no significance between sexes (p = 0.32) or employment status (p = 0.31) and the incidence of PA.
Conclusion: The research showed that PA is a significant issue in musical theater, as it is with other musicians who have been studied extensively. We conclude that more research is needed to look at appropriate treatments specifically for musical theater performers.