Chaska Speech Team 2016-2017

Audition Survey

STEP ONE.

In the boxes below, please rate these PERSONALITY TYPES on a scale from 1 to 10 according to how you believe you fit them. Choosing a 1 would mean the category does not fit you at all, whereas placing a 10 next to a category would mean the category describes you perfectly.

CLOWN… People think you are funny. You make people laugh and love that kind of attention in front of groups.

ACTOR…you can move an audience to feel “real stuff”. You make a character believable and bring words on a page to life. We believe you are that person.

CRITIC…You are vocal about how things are run in this society, how things “work”. You have opinions about social issues and you can express them in an intelligent way. You have a critical eye and ear.

NEWSHOUND… You are up on your current events. You can intelligently discuss things that are going on in the world. You are able to present information/viewpoints about many topics including the 2012 presidential election campaign or the war in Afganistan.

COMMUNICATION ANALYST …You like to analyze HOW people communicate and could intelligently discuss that analysis. You are aware of HOW people are saying things as well asWHAT they are saying.

WRITER…You not only like to write, but you like to perform the material you write yourself. You could write a comic skit, a short play, a dramatic monologue,or aninteresting informational or persuasive speech.

STORYTELLER…You never quite grew up…you love to tell children’s stories. You do all of the cool voices…the old kings, the magical frogs, the evil witches, the talking mirrors. You are very animated and make the story fun to listen to and watch.

Chaska Speech Team 2016-2017

Audition Materials

STEP TWO.

Choose the TWO Personality Types you ranked the highest. Once you have determined the Personality Types, select the MSHSL speech categories that correspond to those personality types. Prepare the selections for those categories or follow the directions given for those categories. We want you to be PREPARED for your audition! Memorization is not required but we suggest you be as prepared as possible! We want to be able to see how you would best fit into our team.

INTERPRETATION CATEGORIES – actor, clown, storyteller, writer

Serious DramaandSerious Prose and Dramatic Duo (ACTOR)

In these categories, you perform a serious script (Drama) or book (Prose). The focus is on characterization and telling a story. One or more characters may be portrayed. You are trying to make the audience believe you are the character and to feel the emotion of the character. Duo is two people portraying two or more characters. Duo can be serious or humorous.

Serious Poetry (ACTOR)

The competitor performs a selection from a poem or program of poems (multiple poems that are somehow connected) that is chiefly serious in nature.

Humorous and Dramatic Duo (ACTOR) (CLOWN)

In this category, you perform a selection from a play, poem, short story, essay or book that is funny. Different characters are portrayed, and differentiated through different physical positions and voices. Duo is two people portraying two or more characters. Duo can be serious or humorous.

Storytelling (STORYTELLER)

The competitor in this event draws 3 of 15 different folktales, selects one they would like to perform, and has 30 minutes to prepare their recreation of the story. The performance is done without a script; the story is retold extemporaneously. A different story is told each round.

Creative Expression (WRITER) (CLOWN)

The performance of material written by the contestant, of which no more than 20% may be material from other sources. While the work may be humorous or serious in nature, the funny pieces tend to do better. The story should convey a message, theme or moral.

*FOR ALL HUMOROUS/STORYTELLER/CREATIVE AUDITIONS

Extemporaneous Reading (ACTOR)

The competitor draws 3 short story or poetry selections (15-25 selections included) and selects the one they would like to perform. The student then has 30 minutes to review the selection and prepare/review the student written introduction. The competitor then presents the introduction and then reads the selection to the judge.

Chaska Speech Team 2016-2017

Audition Materials

STEP TWO.

PUBLIC ADDRESS CATEGORIES-writer, critic, newshound, communication analyst

Informative (CRITIC) (WRITER)

The contestant selects a topic that has some merit and/or interest to a general audience and imparts information about it. The goal is to select a topic people may not know much about already.

You may also write and perform a short informative speech approximately 90 seconds in length citing at least one source.

*Please list some topics you would be interested in writing an informative speech about: ______

Extemp. Speaking (NEWSHOUND)

This is an event about current events. The competitor draws one of three questions about current events, selects one, and then has 30 minutes to prepare a speech where the answer to the question is its thesis. The speech must contain source citations, which is drawn from a file of articles the contestant has researched and brings to tournaments. A different question is answered each round.

*Please provide a brief outline of your response to your selected question:

Discussion (CRITIC)

5-8 contestants gather around a table each round to discuss tasks assigned to them by the tournament manager for that round. The tasks ask the group to either problem solve or make a decision regarding a facet of the discussion topic used for the whole season.

*Please provide a brief outline of your response to this discussion question and list any sources you consulted.

Original Oratory (CRITIC)(WRITER)

This is classic persuasive speaking. The contestant selects an issue of merit and attempts to effect a change in the audience's attitudes, values, beliefs or behavior in regards to the topic. A variety of rhetorical and persuasive devices should be used, and research should be documented in the speech.

**Or research, write and perform your own 2 minute persuasive speech on a topic of your choice, trying to convince us to support your position. Please cite at least one source.

*Please list some topics you might be interested in writing a persuasive speech about: ______

Great Speeches (Communication Analyst)

Great Speeches gives the student a chance to give a dramatic reading and offer original analysis. Students present a speech that has been delivered to an audience, and justify why they feel it should be considered important. A minimum of 25% of the presentation must be the contestant's own material.