Confronting My Fear of Heights in the Theatre

by Chris Peterson

I never thought I had a fear of heights until theatre made me climb something. Rollercoasters were fine. Small planes were fine. But put me on a narrow platform above a stage during tech week with a lighting instrument to focus, and suddenly my body had a very clear opinion about gravity.

My legs locked up. My hands were sweating. I was trying to look calm while silently negotiating with every bolt, rail, and ladder rung around me. I still had work to do, which is the strange part about theatre. Fear does not stop the cue sheet.

A reader reached out about this recently, and it made me realize how little we talk about the physical fears that come with theatre. We talk about stage fright, burnout, rejection, and nerves. We do not talk as much about what it feels like to be ten feet up on a ladder, stepping onto a platform, or climbing into a catwalk while your brain is screaming, “Absolutely not.”

Theatre asks people to do a lot of things they did not imagine when they first signed up. Actors end up on platforms. Designers end up in lifts. Stage managers end up calmly solving problems in places where no calm person should be standing. And if you are not great with heights, it can feel embarrassing to admit that something everyone else seems to be handling is completely rattling you.

But being afraid of heights does not make you weak. It makes you human. The important thing is knowing the difference between pushing through discomfort and ignoring safety. Those are not the same thing.

I had to learn how to slow down, check the gear, ask questions, and say when something did not feel right. I also had to learn that “You’ll get used to it” is not always helpful. Some people do get used to it. Some people learn how to manage it. Some people should not be forced up there at all.

If you struggle with heights in theatre, tell someone you trust. Use the safety equipment. Take your time. Ask for another set of eyes. And if your body is telling you that today is not the day, listen to it.

I still get nervous above a stage. I have climbed the ladders and focused the lights, but the fear never fully packed up and left. I just learned how to work with it.

That is part of theatre too. Not pretending you are fearless, but finding a way to show up without lying about what scares you.