Overcoming Performance Anxiety: Lessons from D&D Actors to Help Students Speak Up

Feeling your heart race when called on in class? You’re not alone — even improv actors get stage fright.

Performance anxiety — whether in a classroom, interview, or rehearsal space — is a common blocker for students and lifelong learners who want to speak up, lead discussions, and land opportunities. This article uses the real-world example of actor and improviser Vic Michaelis, who has publicly talked about experiencing D&D performance anxiety, to map practical exercises you can use immediately to build confidence, reduce nervousness, and convert class participation into career-ready communication skills.

Most important first: why this matters for your career

Employers in 2026 increasingly value communication that is concise, confident, and situationally adaptive. Competency-based hiring and hybrid work require people who can contribute ideas asynchronously and in live settings. If you can’t speak up in class or an interview, you’re leaving measurable career outcomes on the table.

This guide gives you bite-sized, repeatable practice techniques drawn from improv and roleplay (yes — D&D included), cognitive-behavioral strategies, and modern rehearsal tech so you can start improving this week.

Case study: What Vic Michaelis’ D&D performance anxiety teaches us

Vic Michaelis — an improv comedian and actor known for work with Dropout and roles in scripted series — has discussed the tension between being an improviser and feeling anxiety in high-stakes role environments like Dimension 20 and tabletop sessions. Their experience is a useful corrective to the myth that performers don’t feel nervous.

“I’m really, really fortunate because they knew they were hiring an improviser, and I think they were excited about that… I think the spirit of play and lightness comes through regardless.” — Vic Michaelis (paraphrased from a 2026 Polygon interview)

Key lessons from this example:

• Nervousness is normal — even experienced improvisers report it.
• Playful framing reduces stakes — Michaelis emphasizes the spirit of play, not perfection.
• Skill transfer is possible — improv training helped Michaelis add nuance to scripted work, showing practice multiplies value across formats.

Why improv and D&D techniques work for classroom fear

Improv and roleplay teach three cognitive shifts that defeat performance anxiety:

1. External focus: Shift attention to the scene or idea, not internal fear.
2. Incremental risk: Practice small, reversible actions that build tolerance for uncertainty.
3. Play rules: Use explicit, safe constraints (like dice rolls or time limits) to make risk predictable and game-like.

10 Actionable exercises inspired by D&D and improv (for students & lifelong learners)

Below are concrete exercises you can do alone, with a study group, or in a coaching session. Each is designed to be practical — 5 to 30 minutes — and trackable.

1. The One-Die Prompt (5–10 mins)

Use a six-sided die to gamify participation. Assign a simple speaking task to each number: 1 = ask a question; 2 = summarize the last point; 3 = add one supporting detail; 4 = offer a counterpoint; 5 = connect to an outside example; 6 = strong close (one-sentence takeaway).

Roll before you speak. The randomness lowers perfectionism and forces you to focus on fulfilling a single, small function.

2. NPC Monologue (10–15 mins)

Inspired by tabletop roleplay, take 90 seconds to embody an imagined character related to the topic (student, junior analyst, community member). Explain one concept in-character. This externalizes self-consciousness — you are “performing” a role, not proving your identity.

3. Yes-and Classroom Chain (10 mins)

In a group, one person makes a short statement about the lesson. The next person must begin with “Yes, and…” and add one idea. This encourages listening, builds flow, and reduces the pressure to land a perfect original thought.

4. Five-Word Start (3–7 mins)

Begin every intervention in class with exactly five words. Constraints make starting easier. Example: “In my view, the main problem…” Then expand. This trains concise openings — a skill that improves interviews and presentations.

5. Safe-Fail Exposure Ladder (ongoing)

Build a graded list of speaking challenges from easiest to hardest (e.g., private recorded answer > small group comment > whole-class question > graded presentation). Schedule weekly steps and measure completion, not “success.” This is the exposure method from CBT adapted for skill building.

6. Character Swap for Interviews (15–20 mins)

Practice behavioral interview responses by answering from different personas (mentor, skeptical manager, future-you). Each perspective highlights different content and helps you rehearse tone and framing for real interviews and networking conversations.

7. Death Saves — Micro Recoveries (2–5 mins)

Borrow the D&D “death save” mechanic as a recovery game. If you lose your train of thought, have a 10–30 second recovery script (breathe, name the last point, link to the next). Practice the recovery until it feels automatic. This reduces the fear of mistakes.

8. Recording + AI Feedback (10–20 mins)

Record a 60–90 second answer, upload to an AI speech coach or practice tool (many platforms matured in late 2025–early 2026), and request three concrete edits: pacing, filler words, and volume. AI tools can detect stutters, monotone, and filler frequency and give repeatable drills.

9. VR Audience Drill (20 mins)

If you have access to VR platforms that simulate audiences, use a short script and practice in front of virtual rooms of different sizes. Recent 2025–2026 improvements in affordable VR practice environments make this increasingly accessible to students and micro-mentors.

10. Reflective Scorecard (5 mins)

After each speaking attempt, log three numbers: confidence (1–10), clarity (1–10), and risk level (1–5). Track these weekly to measure progress quantitatively.

4-week practice plan: turn exercises into habit

This plan requires 15–30 minutes a day, 4–5 days a week. It’s built for students, busy teachers, and lifelong learners who need efficient progress.

Week 1 — Foundations

• Days 1–3: One-Die Prompt during study group or self-recording (5–10 mins).
• Days 4–5: Five-Word Start + Reflective Scorecard.

Week 2 — Risk Tolerance

• Days 1–2: NPC Monologue and Yes-and Chain with peers (10 mins).
• Days 3–5: Start Safe-Fail Ladder — complete level 1 and log results.

Week 3 — Transfer to Real Contexts

• Days 1–2: Character Swap for upcoming class or interview questions.
• Days 3–4: Record answers and use AI feedback to correct pacing.
• Day 5: Attempt a higher-level item on the Safe-Fail Ladder (e.g., whole-class comment).

Week 4 — Consolidation & Measurement

• Days 1–2: VR Audience Drill or live small-group presentation.
• Days 3–4: Repeat Death Saves drills and recovery scripts.
• Day 5: Compare Reflective Scorecard averages vs. Week 1 and document evidence for a resume/interview story.

How to translate classroom practice into resume and interview wins

Practice alone isn’t enough — you must convert experience into evidence. Here’s how:

• Quantify participation: “Led 6 class discussions and contributed 12 peer responses in a semester” is more persuasive than “improved public speaking.”
• Create STAR stories: Use a specific classroom situation where you used a recovery or roleplay technique, describe the action, and list measurable results (higher grades, positive peer feedback, project outcomes).
• Position improv as transferable skill: In resumes and LinkedIn summaries, frame improv practice as teamwork, rapid ideation, and adaptive communication — highly desired in product, client-facing, and teaching roles.

Measuring progress: objective metrics to track

Turn subjective improvement into metrics you can show in mentoring conversations and interviews.

• Number of class contributions per week.
• Average talk time per contribution (aim to increase concise, meaningful time).
• Filler-word reduction percentage (AI tools can measure this).
• Confidence score improvements on the Reflective Scorecard.
• Number of graded presentations completed on the Safe-Fail Ladder.

Advanced strategies & 2026 trends to accelerate progress

Here are ways to compound gains using tools and trends that matured in late 2025 and early 2026.

• AI micro-coaches: Use AI platforms that give moment-by-moment feedback on intonation and clarity. In 2026 these tools integrate with video platforms and provide drill scripts tailored to your speech patterns.
• Hybrid rehearsal: Combine live small-group improv with asynchronous AI critiques to maximize limited schedules — ideal for busy students and working learners.
• Neurodiversity-informed approaches: Educators in 2025–26 increasingly adopt multi-modal participation options. If you process differently, adapt exercises (longer prep time, written prompts) rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all solution.
• VR/AR immersion: Affordable VR practice rooms let you safely scale exposure to large audiences. Universities and career centers are adopting these as part of public speaking courses.
• Competency-based evidence: Employers want demonstrable competency. Keep a portfolio of recorded practice, AI reports, and quantified participation metrics to validate your growth.

Quick pre-speaking checklist (use before any class, presentation, or interview)

• Breathe 4-4-8 (inhale 4s, hold 4s, exhale 8s) — 2 cycles.
• Set one clear objective (ask a question, summarize, add an example).
• If nervous, assign yourself a role (e.g., “I’m a curious researcher”).
• Have a 10–20 second recovery line ready.
• Use one physical anchor (touch a ring, stand feet-hip width) to ground yourself.

Common objections and how to handle them

“I don’t have time” — Do 5 minutes a day. A single consistent micro-practice beats sporadic marathon rehearsals.

“I’m not an actor” — You don’t need to be. Improv tools are cognitive training for listening, adaptability, and risk tolerance.

“I’m neurodivergent” — Customize exercises: extend prep time, use written prompts, or practice with a trusted partner first. The principles remain the same.

Final thoughts: small plays, big career impact

Vic Michaelis’ experience with D&D performance anxiety highlights an essential truth: even performers feel nervous. The difference is how they practice. By reframing participation as play, using graded exposure, and leveraging modern rehearsal tech, students and lifelong learners can convert nervousness into readable competence.

Actionable takeaway: Start this week with the One-Die Prompt and the Reflective Scorecard. Commit to the 4-week plan above. Track two metrics and draft one STAR story you can use in interviews.

Call to action

Ready to turn nervousness into an advantage? Join a focused, mentor-led micro-practice group that applies these D&D and improv-inspired exercises directly to your class and interview goals. Sign up for a free strategy session or download our Practice Toolkit to get the One-Die Prompt, recovery scripts, and a 4-week calendar you can start using today.

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