Doctor Theater is the notion where sickness does not prevent a performer from performing on stage. It allows the performer to work, act, sing or move through their sickness to the degree that they do not even notice their sickness symptoms, until after the show has finished.
I can tell you from experience that this is very close to my experience (author). Many times I’ve been on the stage very ill with the flu, coughing and hurling in the wings. As soon as I enter the stage my sickness symptoms miraculously disappear. Moreover often don’t notice my flu symptoms because I’m constantly moving, interacting while performing.
When I was 18 I had the flu so badly that I was stuck in bed all day contemplating on ringing my teacher/director to back out of the lead role because I felt I wouldn’t be able to perform. I knew that we the ‘house’ had sold out and I felt awful at letting the cast and crew down. Plus we didn’t even have an understudy to fill my role. I was in a precarious position.
But I managed to pull myself out of bed, to go to the theatre. I put my make-up and costume on and lo and behold as soon as I went on stage and my sickness ‘seemed’ to go away…thanks Doctor Theater. Later on that night once I had finished my performance, I felt the intensity of my sickness once again and it hit me like a ton of bricks.
This also happened to me 20 years later while in a professional performance of The Musical Godspell. The flu had made its rounds with all the cast members and I was the last one to get it. It completely floored me, when it hit.
Once again however, while I was performing on stage, I didn’t feel sickness but as soon as I stood still or sat down I could feel the remnants of the flu and raging within my body. I knew it was still there was an incredible feeling really. I wasn’t sure whether I made my situation worse, I would never know.
How can you tell if your getting sick?
Sickness can creep up on you when you least expect it, but when it arrives, you find yourself drained of energy, slow and lethargic. Time to recognise those symptoms, so you can best rectify the situation. These are some tell tale signs that you are probably getting the flu or sick.
- Sore throat.
A sore throat indicates that there is an infection going on within your body and your immune system is fighting it. You can help by drinking plenty of water with a little bit of honey and lemon and getting plenty of rest.
- Runny or stuffy nose.
Runny or stuffy nose tend to signify the beginnings of a cold or the flu. there is an infection inside your body and the mucus is there to help combat the infection. Often sinus becomes blocked and you sound nasal.
- Muscle or body aches.
Your body’s joints and muscles are weak and aching. You could have the flue and need to take steps to minimize its impact.
- Headaches
Headaches can suggest a cold, the flu, dehydration or even a lack of caffeine. Firstly, drink plenty of water, have a cup of coffee and see if your headache abides. You could be getting the flu, so take it easy.
- Fatigue (tiredness)
Could very well be that you are getting the flu and that you need in your breast and fluids.
If this is the case, actors get a pcr test to check for the RONA! However if you’re lucky you’ll just have a cold or normal flue, so make sure you stay at home.
What To Do If You Have the Flu During a Performance?
It does happen when you feel a flu or a cold coming on during a performance. However in these days, we would hopefully have an understudy. But if it is for a school production, and you’re negative from Cvid 19, you might have to go for it.
If you are sick and you don’t have an understudy, ‘ the show must go on,’ so they say, you might need to do some of the following:
- Drink plenty of fluids particularly water
Water helps with throat irritation and hydrates the body. Have a water bottle with you at all times in the dressing room you were sipping every now and then or when you need it. Have a water bottle in the wings somewhere so you can quickly drink it when you need to.
- Rest your voice don’t talk unnecessarily.
Do not speak at all for most of the day until you need to. Rest your voice. This will help you lover the risk of inflammation around the vocal Fold area.
- Have some lemon and hot water this will suit your throat and give you vitamin C
Vitamin C is very good to keep your immunity strong so it may help in preventing the flu from persisting or hopefully worsening. Have a nice hot cup of water and lemon and hot water while getting ready to perform. Add honey which can also be very good for throat soreness.
- Inhale steam
Heat up water and put a towel over your head. Inhale the steam for a good 5 to 10 minutes. This will help open the nasal passages and get relief from the symptoms of a cold or sinus infection.
- Make sure you get plenty of rest.
Try not to overtax your body and deplete your energy before a gig or performance. Get plenty rest and do not exert yourself more than necessary. That means no late night parties, alcohol or Netfilx watching.
- Have Throat lozenges Handy
Have throat lozenges with you so you don’t cough unnecessarily. They can also help with preventing a coughing fit before you walk on stage.
- Use your understudy
Often the stage manager will make the call whether you will go ahead with your role or not. If you are able to use an understudy it might be just the thing you need to recover, so you can heal faster and give your best when you’re back.
- Gargle Salt Water:
This is similar to steam in that it helps open the nasal passages to get relief.
- Netty Pot
This is advantageous to keeping the sinus cavity clear. As well, homeopathic and non-medicinal sprays would help keep bacteria out and sinuses lubricated.
What should Singers/Performers do when they have a Cold on Stage?
If you have a cold, you may have nasal congestion which won’t significantly prevent you from performing. However you may not be able to sing at your best at your best, In fact your voice might sound with a nasal tone. Singing with a nasal tone isn’t that bad, but it will be if it turns into sometime worse like the flu or even strep throat. See a Doctor if you aren’t sure.
If you have a cold with a sinus infection it is important to keep your mucus from thickening. You can help prevent the mucus from taking a hold of your vocal folds by inhaling steam. Make sure to drink plenty of water with a dollop of lemon.
How long will it take for my cold to subside?
You should expect to recover from a cold or flu infection at least twice as long as infection lasted. So if you had a cold for 3 days expect your voice to fully recover until day 6 or 7 afterwards.
However keep in mind this is only for the general flu or cold, it is not for vocal nodes with is inflammation on the vocal folds.
Can you Hurt Your Vocal Folds More By Singing Through Sickness?
Technically a performer can sing through their sickness, but it all depends on the severity of the illness. Most people will not lose their voices during a performance while having a head cold, but there is a danger, especially with the beginning of laryngitis if your throat is sore. Take it easy if you have a sore throat, do not push it beyond its limits. Find out ways to sing around the notes or dialogue you have. Use a falsetto instead of a belt voice if the moment allows it.
Why Do Singers/Performer Voices Lower when they are Sick?
When someone is sick, their voices are often Inflamed. When your vocal folds are inflamed the default sound vibrates at a slower rate because the increased thickness. This can leave your voice with an airy sound or some people liken it to a sexy, husky sound. Although a performer may sound different and have a fuller resonance, it’s purely temporary. When they get better, their vocal folds will go back to its normal thickness and your husky voice will then again become normal again.
How to do theater warm ups before you undertake a performance, check out my blog here. Also if it is for a virtual performance.
Why Should We Not Clear Our Throat Or Cough When Sick
When we are sick our vocal folds become inflamed and thickened. If we continue to clear our throats by trying to get rid of mucus in the throat, the more you do this, the more likely you are to irritate the vocal folds and make singing difficult. Try to do the least amount of coughing and throat clearing as possible to maintain a clear vocal sound.
With excessive throat clearing and coughing that can potentially cause your vocal folds to get nodes. These happen when the folds become inflamed and vibrate against one another over and over. Irritations can turn to scaring, which in turn leads to nodules. This is where air rushes through the vocal folds causing the miss or some of the vocal sound. It is where we can also get husky voice from.
How to prevent Sickness?
Practice proper hand hygiene. Wash your hands after going to the toilet after touching handles, railings which may have bacteria elements on them, or even people who are sick. This is especially so when you are sad or someone that has been sick around you. Wash your hands for 3 mintues or more for best effects.
Be aware of what you share. From drink bottles, cutlery and even to make up. We need to be especially vigilant in not sharing certain items with others. So if you are using makeup make sure your brushes are clean and haven’t been used by other people. The same goes with makeup.
If you have any open wounds or cuts, make sure they are covered with a bandage so that you are least likely to pick up germs, bacteria and or viruses from other people. Make sure that the bandage looks in keeping with your character and your performance. (If you’re lucky enough to have a health and safety officer who knows actors and their needs, all the better).
try not to stand too close to people who were sick make sure they covered her mouth or use and away if they are sick.
In Conclusion
To prevent sickness, practice good hygiene, drink a lot of water and get plenty of rest. Make sure you have a number of supplies which can help prevent sickness from taking hold or to minimize symptoms. Keep these supplies in your dressing room when you need them. If you need to sing or have heavy dialogue, make sure you have a way around it, by singing differently or speaking in less harsh tones. Sickness may not be ideal when being a performer, but there are ways around it.
