One of my mantras in the solo classes I teach is "your presence is enough". In fact it's everything.

But what does this exactly mean? It means that you are fully onstage, in the moment with your breath, with your eye contact, with a full connection to your emotions, with your body alive, connected to the ground beneath you, with your full vibrancy and excitement in the stories you're about to tell or charctaers you're about to portray. It means showing up fully, with ALL of you. That is the greatest gift you can give yourself and your audience. That is your presence.

It's also called commitment. Total committment to the monologue you're sharing. Total committment to being,moment by moment with your material. It is also a matter of trust. You must learn to control your mind. Do not ever give in to self doubt onstage. Trust your gift. You are being intimate, you are exposing human truth. Some people will weep for joy. Some may storm out of the theater because you've pushed their buttons. They weren't ready for that much authenticity. Doesn't matter. The only way to do a solo show without it dissolving into a sloppy mess is to stand fully in yourself, in your life, your creativity and presence.

To be present, one has to learn to conquer one's fear. Work with it, sit with it, move it. One has to master the fear or it will pull one out of the moment. Out of presence. And when you're flying by the seat of your pants, in this riskiest and most thrilling form of theater, your true presence is the only ground beneath your feet.