Performance Event Descriptions
We Change Lives
Performance Events
District and State Rally tests are constructed by college and university personnel from rally host institutions across the state. The guidelines used in creating the tests were established by the Louisiana High School Rally Association and adapted from the Louisiana Department of Education Comprehensive Curriculum Guides, Grade-Level Expectations and Content Standards.
One Act Play
- A given school may enter only one production in the contest. The production may be either a one-act play or an excerpt from a longer play which meets the other contest requirements. You may use an original or existing script. For a large selection of one -act plays, you may contact one of the following publishing companies:
- Baker’s Plays, 1445 Hancock St. #206, Quincy, MA 02169
http://www.bakersplays.com - Dramatist’s Play Service, 440 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10016
http://www.dramatists.com - Samuel French, Inc., 25th West 45th St., New York, NY 10036
http://www.samuelfrench.com
- Baker’s Plays, 1445 Hancock St. #206, Quincy, MA 02169
- No entry may run for more than 20 minutes. Each school will have a maximum of 30 minutes, including 5 minutes for set-up and 5 minutes for strike.
- Each school must provide all hand props (telephones, books, etc.).
- The host university will only provide the following:
- TWO (2) TABLES (stock, non-descript tables that could seat 2-6 people)
- SIX (6) CHAIRS (stock, non-descript chairs)
- NO other furniture, scenery, or set pieces will be allowed.
- No sound equipment will be provided by the host university. Schools may bring their own but the set-up and strike of this equipment must be done within the allotted time (see #2 above).
- Basic full-stage light wash will be provided by the host university. No additional or special lighting will be allowed.
- Warm-up and rehearsal space will be made available by the host university 30 minutes before curtain time. Production groups must supply their own make-up and costumes.
- All entries will be performed in curtain settings provided by the host university. Schools are forbidden to erect any scenery (see #4 above).
- Each playing group must report backstage 30 minutes before its scheduled time.
- Cast members of each play should leave the stage and dressing rooms in good order.
Extemporaneous Speaking
- The time limit is 5-7 minutes per speech.
- The essential requirement of this contest is that the speaker presents a brief informative talk on a current topic in a informal, conversational manner.
- Contestants prepare for this event by familiarizing themselves with topics of current state, national, and international events. Topics will be limited to items that appeared within three months prior to rally in accepted news media.
- The contest is conducted as follows:
- 30 minutes before the contestant’s panel is scheduled to speak, each contestant will draw three topics, then select one topic on which they will speak.
- The contestant then has 30 minutes to review their thinking and any research materials he wishes to bring; during that time, they will prepare the speech and may rehearse it. Only the contestants themselves are allowed in the drawing and practice room.
- Speakers will then present their completed speeches (in the same order as they drew topics) in a common room. Speakers may use notes and other aids; however, those notes and aids should not interfere with the effectiveness of the speech and its delivery.
Impromptu Speaking
- The time limit is not more than seven minutes–during which a speaker draws an item, prepares, and delivers a short speech.
- The essential requirement of this contest is that the speaker should present a brief informative talk explaining or disproving a drawn item. The material presented may be humorous, personally reflective, satiric, or serious in nature. The quote must be included at some point in the speech.
- The contest is conducted as follows:
- At the assigned time, the speaker draws three quotes (items), selects one, and returns the other two.
- The speaker then uses their seven minutes to both prepare and present the speech.
- A timekeeper will be present to inform the speaker of the time left.
Interpretive Reading
- The time limit is not more thaneight minutes, including the introduction. There is no minumum time limit.
- The reading should be selected from good literature, either prose or poetry, and should be within the range of understanding of high school students.
- The purpose of the event is the recreation of the thought and mood of a work of literary art for an audience. Please note “for an audience.” The reader is not acting at one extreme, nor are they reading aloud to themselves at the other. They are performers who appeal to the imagination of the audience. They fail if they call attention to themselves, yet they must establish immediate contact with the audience.
- Extemporaneous introductory remarks should precede each reading.
- Selections may be presented from memory or from a book or manuscript.
- Large body movements, such as an actor or impersonator might make, are inappropriate to the interpretation. Judges will deduct for large body movements, such as movements with large or distracting gestures and excessive facial expressions.
- Since the idea of this Rally is to learn, we do not believe that a student should read thesame piece at rally after rally, nor that all members from the same school should read the same selection.
- Recorded music or musical instruments are not allowed in this event.
Original Oratory
- Time limit is 6-8 minutes.
- The oration must be strictly original from the student. No more than 200 quoted words will be permitted. Students must orally cite their sources in their specch. Plagiarism will disqualify the student from competing in the contest. Students are urged to select timely topics on current affairs. They should be discouraged from attemtping to speak on abstract subjects. Organization should be carefully planned. The language should be simple and direct. Much thought, careful wording, and thorough practice of delivery should be elementsin the preparations.
- The speech must be memorized. Prompting or failure in memory may disqualify a contestant.
- Typed manuscripts must be handed in to the Speech Rally Coordinator at the time of registration. These will not be returned to the speaker. Copies should include sources used.
Radio Speaking
- Each student will be given news material resembling copy used in most broadcast settings. Material will be provided by McNeese. The order of story presentation will be formatted by the student. Following presentation of news, students will present a brief commentary on a topic or one of the news stories.
- Each student must report to the radio room during the time scheduled.
- Each student will receive 20-30 minutes of preparation time immediately prior to their news delivery/commentary.