Stagefright — a short story for English reading and speaking

Updated for October 2026

Ray is about to speak in front of a large audience, and he is terrified. Can he find the courage to step onto the stage?

This short story lesson gives English learners and teachers a chance to explore the language of public speaking and nervousness. Read the story, practise the vocabulary and use the comprehension and discussion questions to develop your English.

1. Have you ever had to make a speech in front of people?

2. How did you feel?

3. Did you feel nervous? Why?

4. Could you be a professional public speaker?

It was easy, Ray told himself. There was nothing to it.

All the others had done it. He could do it too.

Standing at the side of the stage, he stared out at the vast, dark space beyond the lights. Bill Martinez was speaking. Ray could not understand a word he was saying. The sound seemed distorted, echoing through the venue as if Bill were shouting into a tunnel.

“It’s the angle of the speakers,” Bill had said before going on stage. “They’re directed towards the audience, so from where we’re standing, we can’t hear anything at all.”

Ray took little comfort from this. He had never liked the sound of his own voice. Whenever he heard it in a message or on one of the training videos they had to make at work, he sounded as though he was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

He didn’t like the way he looked, either.

He had shifty eyes. They made him look untrustworthy. Unreliable. At best, someone who could not do the job. At worst, the kind of person who would stab you in the back and then pull the ladder up behind him.

The audience burst into laughter.

Ray jolted. He tilted his head to get a glimpse of them. Bill stood by the mic, a self-deprecating smile on his face. A shrug of the shoulders. Ray could only make out the first row of people. Their teeth gleamed white under the lights. Their eyes looked cartoon-like and freakish.

He shrank back into the shadows.

Soon it would be Ray’s turn to speak. He would have to go out there and speak.

He looked behind him. A lighting technician stood to the side, a bored expression on his face. He didn’t want to be here either. But not because of the fear and sheer terror that Ray felt in his chest. No, this guy found it all tedious. This was no fun for him.

He chewed his gum in a meditative rhythm, his eyes staring out without focusing on anything at all.

Another laugh from the crowd. This one bigger, accompanied by cheers and a smattering of applause.

Ray jerked his head round to find Bill. Where was he?

He had taken the mic out of the stand and walked to the far end of the stage.

Confidence oozed from him.

He was in control. He looked so at ease. He was like one of those seasoned stand-up comedians who just knows, absolutely knows, how to control an audience. He owned them. They were sitting right in his pocket.

The way he moved. A slight swagger. The crooked grin. It worked like a charm.

They loved him and they wanted more.

When Ray went out there, they would hate him. He knew that much.

They would clear their throats in embarrassment for him. He would stand on the stage and stare back into the big, dark space and mumble and bumble through his lines. No one would understand what he was saying as he stopped to clear his throat and wiped a bead of sweat from his face.

A tap on his shoulder and Ray jumped out of his skin.

It was the stage manager, a woman who chain-smoked and wore a permanent look of disdain on her face.

“You’re up next,” she said.

Ray stopped breathing. His hand clutched at his chest. Maybe he could tell her he was not ready. Maybe he could just slip away.

And if his manager asked him on Monday morning where he had gone, he could say that he had felt ill. He had to go to the toilet. He was vomiting.

Or he could just not go to work on Monday and leave the company altogether. He could find a new job. Jobs were scarce these days, but he could do anything. Clean the streets, work in a factory, drive a taxi. Anything.

His wife would hate it and go mad. She would probably leave him, take the kids and go and live with her mother. But all of that was better than going out onto the stage.

The audience let out a roar of approval. They applauded, and then a second wave of cheering broke out.

Bill stood in front of them, making that half-nod, half-bow motion, smiling back at them. Then he raised his hand and waved before turning to walk off the stage.

“Let him off first,” said the stage manager, her breath reeking of cigarettes. “Then they’ll announce you. I’ll give you the nod when to walk on. Piece of cake.”

Suddenly, Ray’s throat constricted. He needed water. He needed a bucket of water.

Bill came into view and gave Ray a grin.

“They’re a great crowd out there tonight,” he said. He tapped Ray on the upper arm. “Go out there and do your thing.”

He brushed past the stage manager, and the technician pointed a finger at him.

“Good job, man,” he said.

“Okay,” said the stage manager. “You’re up in about thirty seconds.”

A voice boomed out from above. The Voice of God. It sounded ominous and threatening, as if it were about to strike down with fury and wreak havoc upon the tuxedoed masses below.

“Fifteen seconds,” said the stage manager.

“Now, we have a very special speaker talking to you about the importance of product design, Mr Ray…”

Ray could not hear the rest of the introduction. His throat was stuffed full of wires. He couldn’t swallow.

“And you’re up.” The stage manager pushed him between the shoulder blades onto the stage.

Ray could not feel his legs. They moved but did not belong to him.

He walked towards the mic stand. The audience gave him some polite applause.

He reached the mic and turned. There, in front of him, were hundreds of people waiting to hear him speak.

Ray’s hand reached up to his throat. He tried to clear the thick glob of fear stuck there, but nothing came out.

He opened his mouth to speak.

The audience glared back at him.

None of them smiling.

1. Who is the main character in the story?

2. Who are the other characters?

3. Where does the story take place?

4. How does Ray feel about going on stage?

5. Why does Ray feel anxious about speaking on stage?

6. How does Ray describe his own voice?

7. What does Ray dislike about his appearance?

8. How does Ray view the audience’s reaction to Bill Martinez? Positive or negative?

9. How does Ray describe the lighting technician and the stage manager?

10. Does Ray think the lighting technician is happy to be working that night?

11. What does Ray think will happen when he goes on stage?

12. How does Ray react when the stage manager informs him that he is up next?

13. What are the thoughts that go through Ray’s mind then?

14. What actions does he consider taking instead?

15. How does Ray feel physically as he contemplates his turn on the stage?

16. What expression does the stage manager use to describe Ray going out on the stage?

17. What does it mean?

18. Who or what is the Voice of God?

19. How does Ray feel when he first steps onto the stage?

20. How does the audience initially react to seeing Ray?

21. What does Ray do just before the story ends?

22. What does Ray see when he looks at the audience after opening his mouth?

23. How does the audience respond to Ray at the end of the story?

Exercise

Write down all the words and phrases in your vocabulary notebook. Look in your dictionary and find the meaning of each word. Write the definition next to each word.

Then make up your own sentences using each word or phrase.

For example:

Distorted — (of an image, sound, or shape) altered in form or appearance, typically as a result of being twisted, stretched, or otherwise manipulated.

Venue — a place where an event or gathering takes place, typically providing the necessary facilities and technical support for such activities.

Then write a sentence of your own that uses the new word or phrase correctly.

I tried to take a picture of the dog, but it came out distorted.

We went to see the band at this really cool venue.

Do this with all the vocabulary and, over time, this will help improve all your English skills — reading, writing, speaking and listening.