A Comedian’s Rise and the Fear of the Stage
Before Nat C. Goodwin became a beloved Seattle stage star, a debilitating bout of stage fright nearly ended his career in a shoe shop.
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Nat C. Goodwin, that popular comedian, begins his engagement at the Seattle theater for three nights. Mr. Goodwin's early career was nearly extinguished by his own nerves. In his first performance in Providence in 1874, stepping before the footlights to 'address the lovely lady,' he was seized with such a terrible attack of stage fright that his tongue was tied to the roof of his mouth. He collapsed on stage, took the first train home to Boston, and announced to his parents that he had mistaken his profession, suggesting they find him a place in a shoe shop. He soon recovered his energy and began working his way up through burlesque, ultimately establishing himself as the premier American comedian of his era.
“His tongue was tied to the roof of his mouth and he could not utter a word. The embarrassing situation ended with his falling unconscious to the stage.”
Stage fright is the great leveler of performers, and this anecdote humanizes a man who was then a national celebrity. It echoes the 'overnight success' myth by revealing the grinding, often embarrassing labor required to build a career in the arts.
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