SPEECH EVENTS
Oratory
ORIGINAL ORATORY (OO)
Do you want to speak about problems in modern society? OO gives you the opportunity to convince an audience how society must act on issues you address. You can choose any topic you want, anything that you believe in. People with any skill set has an opportunity to succeed and a chance to create and amazing speech.
EXPOSITORY
This is a great event to display your artistic abilities! You can talk about any topic you want whether it is about rice or about birds, and you can use visual aids to enhance your speech. This is the only event that allows props during the speech. You can cultivate your speaking skills and learn proper presentation skills.
Spontaneous
IMPROMPTU
Can you think fast on your feet? If you prefer some spontaneity, or if you wish to, impromptu is a great event to help develop fast thinking skills. You will receive a topic and get 2 minutes to prepare for a 5 minute speech. The topics may vary from something as concrete as "stones" to something abstract like "courage." This event challenges you with a race against time to create an innovative speech.
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INTERNATIONAL OR NATIONAL EXTEMPORANEOUS
Like impromptu, Extemp gives you a limited time to prepare. Competitors receive 30 minutes to prepare for a 7 minute speech on a current events topic. You will use previously researched articles and develop opinions on the topic for the competition. You get to think on your feet and keep up with the news and offer your analysis on world wide events.
Interp
DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION (DI)
DI gives you the opportunity to develop and refine your skills as an actor as well as learn and enact your character's emotions. You can choose a book, film, play, an autobiography, etc. to create your piece from. You will learn how to choose the right piece, cut it, block it, then act it. If you're good, you could even make your audience cry!
HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION (HI)
Ever wanted to make people laugh until they cry? HI gives you the ability to take a published piece of work of your choice and put a humorous twist on it. You will learn how to act out multiple characters, being as silly as you want to be while learning important presentation skills.
DUO INTERPRETATION (DUO)
Three's a crowd, but two isn't! DUO is the only event in speech that allows you to work with a partner, choosing a published piece of work and acting it out together. It can be funny, sad, scary, whatever you want, and you get to have a blast doing it with your friend! There's a catch though: you can't look or touch your partner. You get to be creative and work on teamwork, reliability, as well as presentation skills.
THEMATIC INTERPRETATION (TI)
Love drama, but love comedy? Can't decide between DI and HI? TI is your solution! TI focuses on a central theme or idea and finding three or more published pieces that can be sad or happy. Also, this is the only event in interpretation that allows you to use a prop: a small black binder. This forces you to be creative in the ways you use your binder throughout your speech .
ORATORICAL INTERPRETATION (OI)
You find a published speech, memorize it, and perform it. Only thing you have to do is interpret the author's voice and recite it that same way.