LET'S TEACH ABOUT SPEECH

What is Speech?

Speech season has officially started! An informational meeting was held thursday October seventeenth at two separate times. The following week, speech auditions were held at three separate times. Speech is a very broad activity, with many different styles to offer. Some of the most common categories include ensemble and improv. Ensemble is described as a ten to fifteen minute play with three to five people. 

You are given a script and must memorize and act it out with only a table and a few chairs provided or nothing at all. Ensemble is very straightforward and predictable, the exact opposite of improv. In improv you are given a random “theme” which gives you a general idea for your act. You are then given time to talk with your team and brainstorm, then you must perform while trying to add in jokes and make it entertaining. Official practices started November eleventh.

STUDENTS AT SPEECH PRACTICE; PHOTO BY KALLI YORK

How is CCA Involved in Speech?

This year CCA is hosting Large Group WaMaC and districts, which will happen January twentieth and twenty fifth. Both are competitions that lead up to state, which takes place February eighth, with All State happening February twenty second. Our speech and drama team in general is amazing, and unfortunately last year many of our beloved performers graduated. 

Last year we had two teams make it to Large Group All State. The first group was a choral reading, in which a group of up to fifteen people have a script in front of them, and rely on movements or voice changes to show emotion. The group was titled, “That September Day” and conveyed multiple stories of people experiencing the 9/11 attacks. Andrew Cartier, Sydney Emmel, Lily Schloss, Sophia Root, Karley Griffin, James Cavanary, Grace DeVore, Hayden Bailey, Mackenzie Burnett, Nic Schieltz, Carson Brandt, and Morgan Downes all participated. The second group consisted of a Musical Theatre act including Even Streit, Andrew Cartier, James Cavanary, Carson Brandt, Nic Schieltz, Mackenzie Burnett, Hayden Bailey, and Sariah Sherman all performing a musical number from the Musical “Newsies” by Alan Menken.

Student Opinions

I asked a few speech participants what their favorite thing about speech is, and a very common answer was the competitions and seeing other performances. One student said, “The people. I enjoy going to competitions and meeting new people.” Another speech participant, Hayden Bailey said, “My favorite part of speech is how unique the competitions are and how exciting it is to make it to all-state!”Other than the competitions, multiple students' favorite part was the close relationships formed between each other. Another student, Karley Griffin said,” I enjoy how close we all get to the other people in our events. I have noticed this, especially in Musical Theatre and Choral Reading at All State over the past two years. At All State 2023, we all gathered together in one of the hotel rooms and did face masks and played games, even our director got involved, and at the 2024 All-State, we were all hanging out at the hotel pool for hours. When you spend so much time with these people putting a lot of work into your events it is hard not to get pretty close.” Whether it be competitions or companions, speech is an amazing experience. Speech has something for everyone, and while group speech has started, individual speech is always an option.