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  • 1.  Material for oral interpretation both dramatic and humorous

    Posted 12-01-2017 13:51
    Does anyone have any suggestions on good material for my high school students to use for their upcoming literary competition in oral interpretation both humorous and dramatic? I am somewhat new to this whole arena of literary competition and would like to steer my kids in the right direction. Thanks so much!

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    Stephen Ingle
    Drama Teacher
    Jefferson High School
    Jefferson, GA
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  • 2.  RE: Material for oral interpretation both dramatic and humorous

    Posted 12-01-2017 15:40
    I'm not sure if this is the kind of thing you're talking about, but my Drama and English students participate in the Poetry Out Loud competition every year. It's not acting per say, but gives the students an opportunity to work on some of the same skills they need for acting. If you go to their website (see below) they have everything you would need, from poems, to lesson plans, to tips for strong recitations, to video examples. It is highly recommended. 

    Home : Poetry Out Loud

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    Christopher Hamilton
    Drama Teacher
    Kennewick WA
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Material for oral interpretation both dramatic and humorous

    Posted 12-02-2017 08:29
    The NSDA website has a wealth of information and resources! 

    Resources
    National Speech & Debate Association remove preview
    Resources
    "Resources" are materials provided by the NSDA to help you learn, coach, judge, or compete in speech and debate, like videos, topic analyses, judging guides, textbooks, lesson plans, and more. Browse the list below, or use the filters on the left to narrow it down.
    View this on National Speech & Debate Association >

    I've coached cuttings from books, musicals,  plays, movies, and short stories to competitions.  Be sure to check the rules governing the organization under which you're competing to see what they allow. 

    The trend for drama is to do monologues (with maybe an additional character or two speaking for the flow or explanation of the story). Some examples would be Always, Patsy Cline (musical), Angels in America (play - piecing together dialogue to create a monologue), Black and Blue (novel). 

    Humor is all about popping quickly back and forth between characters. For novices, I try not to have more than 3 characters. I've used plays and movies, and even children's literature for humor pieces. 

    Don Zoliedis is a popular playwright, and writes some specifically for speech competition. You might check out his website for ideas. He has some selections with previews or monologues so students can see what they like. 

    I hope this helps you and your students get started on a successful season!

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    Kim Nonnenmacher
    Teacher, Speech Coach, & Theater Director
    Concord Community Schools
    Elkhart, IN
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    Original Message


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