How Improv Helped Cameron Overcome Anxiety and Find Her Voice
At Peak Improv Theater, we believe that stepping onstage is more than an act of performance—it’s an act of courage. For 17-year-old Cameron Sprague, signing up for an Improv 101 class was her way of pushing past anxiety and self-doubt. What she found surprised her: confidence, connection, and a creative spark she didn’t know she had.
Cameron Sprague was a student in Improv 101. She joined to discover more about herself and her interests. Her favorite thing about taking this class was how much she felt herself blossom on the stage. She wasn't expecting how much she'd truly love it. When she's not doing improv. She writes poetry, creates digital, digital artwork and paints.
In this shortened version of our PIT Profile interview, Cameron shares how improv transformed her relationship with fear—and herself.
The following is a shortened version of our full interview, where you’ll hear stories of growth, laughter, and transformation. You can watch the entire conversation on Peak Improv Theater’s YouTube channel.
PIT: What was your biggest fear walking into Improv 101 on day one?
Cameron: Definitely stage fright and a lot of social anxiety. It was really something big for me. I'm not really a person who talks very much or puts myself out there. So it was a really big step for me in just kind of showing myself that I could do that. And there were a lot of nerves that came with the whole process of it. At the very beginning I was really anxious.
PIT: How did that fear, or those fears change over the course of the class?
Cameron: My stage fright went away as soon as I was up on stage. I didn't feel so much social anxiety, because I was just looking around at so many people who were just having a lot of fun and enjoying what they were doing, and I didn't feel so judged. And it was, it was just this big branch out for me. Like, I can't even explain it. It was just like, I got on stage, and I was like, oh yeah, oh yeah. I actually really like this. Like, I don't have to worry about anything up here. I know what I'm doing. This is just kind of my personality in general. So it, you know, it was, it was a really good way for me to show myself that I don't have to be afraid of those things, that I am enough just doing what I'm doing. And it was, it was really eye opening for me. I want to take more classes.
PIT: How has improv impacted your life outside of the theater?
Cameron: I definitely feel more secure in myself, more confident in my actions. Less anxious about the future. Oddly, I don't know why, but I just don't feel so stressed anymore, like I don't have constant anxieties about, like, what's gonna happen? You know, I just, I'm not so worried about all of that anymore. And I think it taught me that life is short, and you should enjoy it while you can.
Cameron’s story is a reminder that sometimes, the smallest “yes” can lead to the biggest shift. Whether you’re battling self-doubt, craving connection, or just curious about what improv might awaken in you, her journey shows what’s possible when you trust yourself to try.
Want to hear more? Watch the full PIT Profile interview with Cameron on our YouTube channel and see how one brave step turned into a whole new path.
