BWW Blog: Dealing with PSD (Post Show Depression)

As a fellow thespian, dealing with post-show depression sucks. Not having to perform in front of an audience, missing their eccentric applause, getting "beat" by the makeup gods before the performance, and not performing with not just your castmates, your family, literally sucks. I recently went through that. I performed in my last high school show ever, Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. That show was one of my favorites and definitely in the books. I played Christopher Wren, which if you know me personally, I am just like him. So crazy, full of life, and a great taste for architecture. Being in this show taught me to always be in the moment and listen to everything that is going on in each scene. After the show concluded its run, I was a mess. I was sobbing during my curtain call and watching the tech strike the set. Also, I was crying swiping and swiping through all of the production photos. It took me about a solid week to get over that phase. Now, since I recently just experienced PSD (Post Show Depression), here are some of the things I did to help cure my depression (or just make it worse ;) )

1. Eating tons of ice cream and watching Netflix

I literally devoured an entire tub of ice cream while binge-watching the latest episodes of Riverdale. That helped me kind of forget the show, but also simultaneously I was still re-watching my bows and looking at pictures.

2. Read different books/poems

Since I am in AP Lit, I have to read different books. That helped me sort of distract myself from the show, but every time a word that was in the show popped up from the book, I instantly started saying the lines and reenacting the blocking. And then the waterworks would produce and I had to run to my fridge to repeat step one

3. Hang-out with your friends

Hanging out with your friends can distract you from the show by doing fun activities. But, when literally all of your friends are only theatre kids and they were in the show, you will be crying together and will non-stop be talking about all of the details of the show.

As Theatre kids, we all experience PSD. It's inevitable. You can never escape it. Every show you are in becomes special and you create a family from it. From literally rehearsing every day with the same people for hours and hours and socializing after rehearsal, you become so close. PSD is so relatable, everyone goes through it. You are not alone! Trust me. Going through it may be tough, but eventually, you will be getting excited about the next production you audition for and then the process starts all over again.

Photo by Jurgen Baudenbacher

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