Dramatic Interpretation

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Dramatic Interpretation (often shortened to "Dramatic Interp," "Drama" or just "DI") is an event in National Speech and Debate Association (and NSDA-related) high school forensics competitions. In the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association and the National Catholic Forensic League, the event is combined with Humorous Interpretation to create the Dramatic Performance event. It consists of a piece from any published work, edited to fit within a 10-minute span with a 30-second grace period (it does not have a minimum and cannot be above 10:30). [1]

Contents

In a typical round of DI, five to seven performers will each perform a "cutting" (excerpt) from a readily available, published (copyrighted or non-copyrighted) play, novel, or short story. As the name suggests, the cuttings are invariably from non-comedic (e.g., dramatic) works. Some performers select monologues, others may adopt the roles of many different characters, changing their tone, manner, and the position of their body to indicate a change in character.

After all of the competitors have performed, the judge (or judges) in the round will rank them from best to worst, and assign each of them a score. Contestants who score well will "break" out of preliminary rounds and continue to advance through octo/quarter/semi/final rounds if they continue to score well.

NSDA Nationals

National Speech and Debate Association Nationals was hosted in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2016. National Champions are awarded a scholarship of US$1,000. [2] To receive the title a competitor must have the lowest cumulative score throughout the duration of the tournament. The Dramatic Interpretation competitor to receive the lowest cumulative score in the final round is awarded the BAMA Bowl and a US$500 scholarship. [3] The National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) National Tournament is the largest academic competition in the world. [4] [5] [6]

Past NSDA Champions

YearCompetitorAcademic Institution
1931Kathryn HarneyPeoria-Manual, Illinois
1932Pauline CrockettCalifornia, Pennsylvania
1933Denton SnyderHumboldt, Iowa
1934Donald SwansonWebster City, Iowa
1935Mary Ann PorterfieldTopeka, Kansas
1936Caleb PetersonPeekskill, New York
1937Virginia KraftMediapolis, Iowa
1938Jack EdwardsHollywood, California
1939Ben MorrisOklahoma City-Classen, Oklahoma
1940James LeeSanta Rosa, California
1941Jean SwidenskyOklahoma City-Central, Oklahoma
1946Rae June DeckerDuQuoin, Illinois
1947Beulah MeachamCanton-McKinley, Ohio
1948Ralph JensenKenosha, Wisconsin
1949Carolyn ParksSanta Rosa, California
1950Carolyn ParksSanta Rosa, California
1951Sue RoutsongDayton-Oakwood, Ohio
1955Shirley ShubinLos Angeles HS, California
1956Dan McCallModesto, California
1957April ShawhanDayton-Fairmont, Ohio
1958Karen McPeekEuclid, Ohio
1959Alan HaufrectHouston-Bellaire, Texas
1960Albertha HillmonStockton Edison, California
1961Paul BernathHouston-Jesse Jones, Texas
1962Joe RowletteWest Plains, Missouri
1963Andy FichterDelaware-Hayes, Ohio
1964Camille WatersHouston-Bellaire, Texas
1965Suzanne AbernathyParis-Grove, Tennessee
1966Joan RueLexington-Clay, Kentucky
1967Brent MintzHouston-Bellaire, Texas
1968Ruben DelgadoStockton Edison, California
1969Darren KelleyAnaheim-Loara, California
1970John WallCampbellsville, Kentucky
1971John LeamerFairmont East HS, Kettering, Ohio
1972Annalee JefferiesHouston-Bellaire HS, Texas
1973Mark FergusonPerry HS, Ohio
1974Robert RosenbergToledo-DeVilbiss HS, Ohio
1975Darryl BowdreMcAlester HS, Oklahoma
1976Lynne JoynerBellevue Newport HS, Washington
1977Michael MandellLogansport HS, Indiana
1978Andrew SatteePine Crest Prep. HS, Florida
1979Steven YoungNew Richmond HS, Wisconsin
1980Solveig OlsenSioux Falls-Lincoln, South Dakota
1981Darrell JohnsonOkmulgee, Oklahoma
1982Greg DolphChesterton HS, Indiana
1983Robert StrainSan Antonio-Roosevelt, Texas
1984Geoff AbbottSioux Falls-O’Gorman HS, South Dakota
1985Andy ThorntonSan Antonio-Churchill HS, Texas
1986David GetzendanerKansas City-Park Hill, Missouri
1987Lance HarshbargerShawnee Mission-South HS, Kansas
1988Brenda McElroyMilton Academy, Massachusetts
1989Greg WilsonHanks HS, Texas
1990Dan SklarGlenbrook North HS, Illinois
1991Demond WilsonVines HS, Texas
1992Colin StokesSan Antonio-Churchill, Texas
1993Chris ConnerKinkaid School, Texas
1994Danny BeatyMiami Valley School, Ohio
1995Susan BohannonAlbuquerque Academy, New Mexico
1996Jelena MooreJames Logan HS, California
1997Michael WashingtonPlano Sr. HS, Texas
1998 Michael Urie Plano Sr. HS, Texas
1999John EganEagan HS, Minnesota
2000Esther EtukNewman Smith HS, Texas
2001Aimee DeShayesSyosset HS, New York
2002Krystyn SprattApple Valley HS, Minnesota
2003Pierre ClarkJames Logan HS, California
2004D’Angelo LacyCreekview HS, Texas
2005Cory D. StewartEastview HS, Minnesota
2006Blake WilliamsThe Montgomery Academy, Alabama
2007Nana Amoah, Jr.Edison HS, Virginia
2008Stephen ElrodBellarmine College Prep, California
2009Jane BruceOgden HS, Utah
2010Michael CaroneMonsignor Farrell HS, New York
2011Jamaque NewberryNova HS, Florida
2012Deshawn WestonGrand Prairie HS, Texas
2013Anthony NadeauRoyal Palm Beach HS, Florida
2014Abigail OnwunaliHastings HS, Texas
2015Daniel WilliamsHoly Cross School, Louisiana
2016Izabella CzejdoMcDowell HS, Pennsylvania
2017Chase GarrettSouthside HS, South Carolina
2018Kimberly LeeSummit HS, New Jersey
2019Jacob FosterComeaux HS, Louisiana
2020Semaj LeeApple Valley HS, Minnesota
2021Giana MartinezL. C. Anderson HS, Texas
2022Logan GreenHattiesburg HS, Mississippi
2023Kylan WilliamsComeaux HS, Louisiana
2024Karla RiveraHarlingen HS South, Texas

Rules

Dramatic Interpretation falls under the jurisdiction of events under the category defined as “Interpretation” by the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). These events are Humorous Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, and Program Oral Interpretation. Events that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the following rules include, but are not limited to Poetry, Prose, and Storytelling. The National Speech and Debate Associations rules are organized into categories of length, material, material availability, performance, re-use, and website approval submission process. [7]

Length

The set time limit is ten minutes with a thirty-second period in which a student may go overtime with no penalty, colloquially referred to as a 'grace period.'According to National Speech and Debate Association rules, a student who exceeds the ten minute and thirty-second time limit cannot be awarded the rank of 1st in the round. There is no minimum time limit. [8]

Material and material availability

A student may choose from a single work of literature to perform. Acceptable forms of literature include: [9]

Performance

In Dramatic Interpretation, Duo Interpretation, and Humorous Interpretation performers are not permitted to use any type of "physical objects or costuming." [10] In addition, students may not:

Re-use

Students may not perform the same work of literature at any National Speech and Debate Association tournament if they have already done so in a separate contestant year.

Website approval submission process

All piece selection is subject to online year-round review.

Collegiate Dramatic Interpretation

In intercollegiate forensics, a competitor may use one or more theatrical scripts to craft a dramatic narrative involving one or multiple characters. [11] The dramatic material can originate from a variety of sources, ranging from stage, screen, to radio. [12] Unlike dramatic interpretation performances at the high school level, collegiate competitors are required to use a manuscript throughout their performance. [13]

Past AFA Champions

YearCompetitorAcademic Institution
1978Scott Schaeffer DePaul University
1979Terry Kiel Minnesota State University, Mankato
1980Steve Geck St. Cloud State University
1981Mark Fredo PennWest Clarion
1982Michael Eckert George Mason University
1983Philip Shelburne Southern Utah University
1984Greg Dolph Bradley University
1985Greg DolphBradley University
1986Greg DolphBradley University
1987Vincent Bly Kansas State University
1988Florence Woodard Howard University
1989Sarah BraunBradley University
1990Paige PetruckaSouthern Utah University
1991Zoe Brown University of Alabama
1992Jason DavidsonBradley University
1993August BenassiBradley University
1994Dustin Abraham Arizona State University
1995Andrew Greene California State University, Los Angeles
1996Esther Austin California State University, Chico
1997Eduardo MaytorenaCalifornia State University, Los Angeles
1998Sara Mayer University of Texas at Austin
1999Jill ValentineBradley University
2000Paige WhiteUniversity of Alabama
2001Ryan Knowles University of La Verne
2002Javon JohnsonCalifornia State University, Los Angeles
2003Scott Boras University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2004Tatiana SimonianCalifornia State University, Los Angeles
2005Robert Hawkins San Francisco State University
2006Ashley Brasfield Western Kentucky University
2007Sonequa MartinUniversity of Alabama
2008Julia KolsrudArizona State University
2009Nick BatemanGeorge Mason University
2010Amanda VoirolBradley University
2011Kane Kennedy James Madison University
2012Kaybee Brown Lone Star College-North Harris
2013Kaybee BrownBradley University
2014Robi Mahan Illinois State University
2015Karlee Currin University of Nebraska Omaha
2016Abigail OnwunaliUniversity of Texas at Austin
2017Caleb Merritt Hastings College
2018Marianna GarciaUniversity of Texas at Austin
2019Sarah CourvilleUniversity of Texas at Austin
2021Paige AllbrightWestern Kentucky University
2022Emily Feazel Seton Hall University
2023Kaylee FrazierUniversity of Texas at Austin
2024David Jacobson University of Minnesota Twin Cities
2025Aaron Anderson Tennessee State University

Due to COVID-19, the 2020 tournament was canceled, resulting in no champion. [14]

Past NFA Champions

YearCompetitorAcademic Institution
2008Emambu AtabongBradley University
2009Vanessa CarranzaBradley University
2010Jerome DavisWestern Kentucky University
2011Elle PrattBradley University
2012Jasmine McLeod California State University, Long Beach
2013Ben Davis North Central College
2014Austin GrovesWestern Kentucky University
2015Huy Pham Ball State University
2016Abigail OnwunaliUniversity of Texas at Austin
2017Abigail OnwunaliUniversity of Texas at Austin
2018Marianna GarciaUniversity of Texas at Austin
2019Sarah CourvilleUniversity of Texas at Austin
2021Cheriaca HuntleyGeorge Mason University
2022Paige AllbrightWestern Kentucky University
2023Gavin Millard Eastern Michigan University
2024Cecilia AlaliWestern Kentucky University

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 tournament was canceled. However, the NFA permitted competitors in their senior year to submit recordings of their speeches for an asynchronous competition. The top performing student in each category was ranked as the Performance of Highest Distinction. [15] The Performance of Highest Distinction in Dramatic Interpretation was awarded to Trijae from Bradley University. [16]

See also

References

  1. High School Unified Manual: Chapter, Rules, and Tournament Operations. 2017 ed. Vol. 1.0. National Speech and Debate Association, 2017. PDF. Updated February 2017
  2. "Nationals History".
  3. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2017-03-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Blue Valley West hosts world's largest academic competition". 17 June 2014.
  5. "National Speech & Debate Association's National Championships (Largest academic competition in the world)". Archived from the original on 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2017-03-10.
  6. "Kansas City hosts largest academic competition in the world - Story". Archived from the original on 2017-03-12. Retrieved 2017-03-10.
  7. High School Unified Manual: Chapter, Rules, and Tournament Operations. 2017 ed. Vol. 1.0. National Speech and Debate Association, 2017. PDF. Updated February 2017
  8. High School Unified Manual: Chapter, Rules, and Tournament Operations. 2017 ed. Vol. 1.0. National Speech and Debate Association, 2017. PDF. Updated February 2017 pg 43-44.
  9. High School Unified Manual: Chapter, Rules, and Tournament Operations. 2017 ed. Vol. 1.0. National Speech and Debate Association, 2017. PDF. Updated February 2017 pg 43-44.
  10. High School Unified Manual: Chapter, Rules, and Tournament Operations. 2017 ed. Vol. 1.0. National Speech and Debate Association, 2017. PDF. Updated February 2017 pg 45.
  11. "What is Forensics?". communications.fullerton.edu. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  12. "Texas Speech: Collegiate Events". commstudies.utexas.edu. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  13. "Event descriptions". AFA-NST. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  14. "Dramatic Interpretation Champions". AFA-NST. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  15. "Texas Speech: Individual National Champions". commstudies.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-05.
  16. "2024 NFA Booklet" (PDF). nationalforensicassociation.org. Retrieved 2024-10-01.