How Broadway star Andy Karl performs at peak under pressure

Executive overview

Performing eight shows a week in a physically and vocally demanding role requires deliberate systems, not willpower. Andy Karl—starring in Groundhog Day the Musical—shares the routines, mindset shifts, and hard-won lessons that keep him performing at his best night after night.

Prevention beats recovery. Confidence is built through repetition and ownership, not innate talent. A fresh audience makes every performance new.

The real skill is sustaining full commitment through relentless repetition—physically, vocally, and mentally.

Vocal and physical preparation

• Strict daily vocal warm-up using three contrasting song styles to cover the full vocal range
• Extend the lowest and highest ranges before building up—vocal cords are muscle and need full-range exercise
• Caffeine is fine; counter it with consistent, heavy hydration
• All physical training (weights, yoga, crunches) feeds vocal power, posture, and stage presence
• Yoga every other day for elasticity; weightlifting for strength

Staying healthy through a long run

• Prevention is the strategy—don't get sick rather than manage being sick
• Vitamin C supplementation is non-negotiable; humans can't absorb enough from food alone
• Light movement (even a walk) while recovering clears illness faster than bed rest
• Hydration is the single biggest lever for vocal health

Owning the stage: confidence without innate confidence

• Confidence comes from repetition, not personality—Karl describes himself as lacking natural confidence
• Sylvester Stallone's advice on Rocky: "Own it. Own the part."—intention must come from within
• Connect with the material at a personal level; belief in the words makes the performance land
• Movement skills (dance, physical freedom) reduce self-consciousness in front of audiences
• Awareness of the space, the marks, and the blocking frees mental bandwidth to play

Keeping repetition fresh across hundreds of performances

• A new audience means a genuinely new show every night
• Maintain the intention of the full story arc—without it, the ending loses meaning
• Look for imperfections in the cast around you; they create live, unrepeatable moments
• Vary line readings and physical choices within the fixed structure to stay present
• Acknowledge low-energy days honestly—starting a performance from that truth is itself a technique

Preparing for a high-stakes role: Rocky

• Physical preparation began before the audition was confirmed—treated the role as already his
• Voice training happened every day, including practising the character's vocal register with his dog
• Stayed in contact with the creative team between audition rounds to signal investment
• Showed up to audition even when told he didn't need to—demonstrated commitment visibly

The ACL tear two days before Broadway opening night

• Full ACL tear with 10 minutes left in a preview; crawled off stage
• Immediate impulse was that everything was lost; Rocky's "keep moving forward" line brought him back
• Knee was drained, wrapped, and braced—he opened the show anyway
• Used the injury as material inside the show rather than hiding it
• The experience reframed pain tolerance and reinforced living in the present moment