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Speech & Drama Syllabus

Rules

1. One good type-written copy of each selection must be provided to the Adjudicator’s secretary immediately before the performance.
   1. ALL COPIES OF OWN CHOICE SELECTIONS SHOULD BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH BOTH THE COMPETITOR’S NAME, CLASS NUMBER, CLASS NAME, AND AGE CATEGORY ENTERED.
2. Due to copyright laws, students should select work from readily available publications as they must have such publications available for presentation at check-in at the venue on the scheduled performance day.
   1. Using photocopied material is prohibited unless approved through CanCopy or a publisher’s letter.
   2. Downloaded material from the Internet is acceptable as long as a receipt of payment is presented.
3. In duo and group entries, the appropriate class is determined by the age of the OLDEST entrant.
4. Groups should be entered under the name of the group, giving the number of participants and not as individual entries. ONE entry for a duo or group with ONE complete form.
5. In duos, substitutions may be allowed for one member if the Speech Arts Chairperson is notified two weeks before the festival date. Such replacements will be at the chairperson’s discretion (see general rules).
6. AWARDS AND BURSARIES: Competitors wishing to qualify for bursaries must enter a minimum of two solo classes within their age grouping. The adjudicator will choose the winners (see General Rules).
7. PROVINCIAL FINALS: For current information, please go to www.bcprovincials.com
8. Performers aspiring toward a Provincial recommendation are required to enroll in poetry, prose, and dramatic monologue classes. Contact your teacher or refer to the Provincial Syllabus regarding Provincial requirements.
   1. Competitors in the Senior Class are required to perform a Sonnet as well as Poetry, Prose and Drama.
9. All speech presentations must be memorized, except for Sight Reading, Readers’ Theatre and story-reading sections.
10. Contestants are reminded that time limits must not be exceeded. If exceeded, a bell will sound, and competitors must stop immediately.
    The maximum time of a performance will be the total time on stage. Introductions, breaks between pieces, applause, and any required costume additions will be included in this time. The clock will start when a performer starts to introduce their first piece and stop when they leave after their final piece. Please time your repertoire appropriately so you do not exceed the time indicated for each class.
    PLEASE NOTE that this rule follows the TOTAL TIME regulation in the Provincial syllabus.
11. Competitors, teachers or parents must not communicate directly with the adjudicator (see general rules).

 

Definitions

The following definitions have been established as guidelines for competitors at the Provincial level and are the definitions used by the MIPAF.

Prose

A prose passage is a selection from a story, novel, essay or similar writing that forms a concise unit. The prose is non-metrical writing; thus, stories written in verse are inappropriate. In prose, the speaker is the narrator. The focus should be on the voice. Vocal characterization is encouraged, but the quality of prose must be maintained. The selection should include narration, description and dialogue. It should be spoken in the story-telling style but should not be performed as a dramatic scene, i.e. there is to be no acting, with limited movement around the stage. Competitors may stand or be seated.

Drama

In drama, the speaker is the character. The selection should be taken from a play written for presentation on the stage by an actor assuming the character’s language, movement, and dress. The selection should be the words of one character only, with words of other characters omitted. Shakespeare selections must be taken from his plays and not his non-dramatic poetry. Movement, character development and relationships are essential in this section, thus “stand-alone” monologues (not from longer plays) are poor choices at the provincial level.

Poetry

In poetry, the language is molded into a design; in prose, it is not. Speakers may choose to perform any type of poetry: lyric, narrative, dramatic or slam – matching performance choices to author intention and style:

• Lyric: a short unified poem expressing the poet’s own experience and emotion, usually presented in a relaxed stance with no movement. The speaker interprets rather than identifies with it.
  • e.g. Solitude, by Bliss Carman;
  • To Autumn, by Keats;
  • Sonnets of Shakespeare and Wordsworth.
• Narrative: a poem that tells a story and usually has dialogue: the telling of a story is the primary concern of the speaker.
  • e.g. The King’s Breakfast, by A. A. Milne;
  • The Raven, by E. A. Poe;
  • The Cattle Thief, by Pauline Johnson.
• Dramatic: in a dramatic poem, a character distinct from the performer and poet speaks, revealing personality and attitudes. The primary concern of the poem is to show character and not tell a story.
  • e.g. My Last Duchess, by Robert Browning;
  • Patterns, by Amy Lowell.
• Slam Poetry: an idea or thematic connection poems with voice, humour, rhythm, exaggeration, and wordplay, written for performance to an audience. Excerpts may be presented as these poems are often very long. Suggested resource books include:
  • Word Warriors (Olsen)
  • Take the Mic (Smith)
  • Poetry Slam (Glazner)
• Sonnet: a sonnet is a fixed-form lyric poem, traditionally consisting of 14 lines of iambic pentameter with a set rhyme scheme. In Senior Speech, modern sonnets with variations in rhyme scheme and stanzaic structure are permissible, as are caudate, curtal and double sonnets, provided their inclusion fits the overall time allowance. Sources:
  • The Penguin Book of the Sonnet
  • Making of a Sonnet (Hirsch)
  • The Art of the Sonnet (Burt)

Costumes and Props

Costuming and props are only permitted for the Drama selection. Competitors should select material that requires an absolute minimum of props, which should be portable. All props and costumes remain the sole responsibility of the competitors. Competitors should use good judgment in selecting suitable dress for their presentations. It is not intended that students use elaborate costumes.

Classes

Canadian Poetry – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
520	7 and under	2 minutes
521	9 and under	2 minutes
522	11 and under	2 minutes
523	13 and under	2 minutes
524	16 and under	3 minutes
525	18 and under	5 minutes
526	Open	5 minutes

Poetry – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
530	7 and under	2 minutes
531	9 and under	2 minutes
532	11 and under	2 minutes
533	13 and under	3 minutes
534	16 and under	3 minutes
535	18 and under	4 minutes
536	Open	5 minutes

Lyric Poetry – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
540	7 and under	2 minutes
541	9 and under	2 minutes
542	11 and under	2 minutes
543	13 and under	3 minutes
544	16 and under	3 minutes
545	18 and under	4 minutes
546	Open	5 minutes

Narrative Poetry – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
550	7 and under	2 minutes
551	9 and under	2 minutes
552	11 and under	2 minutes
553	13 and under	3 minutes
554	16 and under	3 minutes
555	18 and under	4 minutes
556	Open	5 minutes

Dramatic Poetry – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
560	7 and under	2 minutes
561	9 and under	2 minutes
562	11 and under	2 minutes
563	13 and under	3 minutes
564	16 and under	3 minutes
565	18 and under	4 minutes
566	Open	5 minutes

Slam Poetry – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
570	7 and under	2 minutes
571	9 and under	2 minutes
572	11 and under	2 minutes
573	13 and under	3 minutes
574	16 and under	3 minutes
575	18 and under	4 minutes
576	Open	5 minutes

Poetry – Sonnet – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
580	13 and under	2 minutes
581	16 and under	2 minutes
582	18 and under	2 minutes
583	Open	2 minutes

Original Poetry – Written and Spoken by Entrant – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
585	13 and under	2 minutes
586	16 and under	3 minutes
587	18 and under	5 minutes
588	Open	5 minutes

Prose – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
590	9 and under	5 minutes
591	11 and under	5 minutes
592	13 and under	5 minutes
593	16 and under	8 minutes
594	18 and under	8 minutes
595	Open	8 minutes

Dramatic Monologue – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
600	9 and under	5 minutes
601	11 and under	5 minutes
602	13 and under	5 minutes
603	16 and under	6 minutes
604	18 and under	7 minutes
605	Open	8 minutes

Shakespeare Monologue – Own Choice

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
610	16 and under	3 minutes
611	18 and under	4 minutes
612	Open	6 minutes

Dramatic Duologue – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
615	9 and under	5 minutes
616	11 and under	5 minutes
617	13 and under	5 minutes
618	16 and under	8 minutes
619	18 and under	10 minutes

Mime

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
620	11 and under	2 minutes
621	13 and under	3 minutes
622	16 and under	4 minutes
623	18 and under	5 minutes
624	Open	5 minutes

Duo – Mime

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
630	11 and under	2 minutes
631	13 and under	3 minutes
632	16 and under	4 minutes
633	18 and under	5 minutes
634	Open	5 minutes

Group Mime

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
640	9 and under	4 minutes
641	11 and under	5 minutes
642	13 and under	5 minutes
643	16 and under	7 minutes
644	18 and under	10 minutes

Improvisation

CLASSES WILL REQUIRE CONTESTANTS TO BE ISOLATED. The Adjudicator will give each individual a subject around which to improvise a scene. Some preparation time will be given (3 to 5 minutes).

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
650	9 and under	3 minutes
651	11 and under	3 minutes
652	13 and under	3 minutes
653	16 and under	5 minutes
654	18 and under	5 minutes
655	Open	5 minutes

Duo – Improvisation

CLASSES WILL REQUIRE CONTESTANTS TO BE ISOLATED. The Adjudicator will give each class a subject around which to improvise a scene. Some preparation time will be given (3 to 5 minutes).

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
660	9 and under	3 minutes
661	11 and under	3 minutes
662	13 and under	3 minutes
663	16 and under	5 minutes
664	18 and under	5 minutes
665	Open	5 minutes

Sight Reading

CLASSES WILL REQUIRE CONTESTANTS TO BE ISOLATED. The Adjudicator will select an unseen piece. No preparation time.

Class	Age Level
670	9 and under
671	11 and under
672	16 and under
673	16 and under
674	18 and under
675	Open

Story Telling – Own Choice

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
680	13 and under	5 minutes
681	16 and under	5 minutes
682	18 and under	6 minutes

Group Scenes – Own Choice – Of Festival Standard

Minimum of 3 and a maximum of 7 participants.

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
685	13 and under	6 minutes
686	16 and under	8 minutes
687	18 and under	10 minutes

Formal Speech – Own Choice

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
690	9 and under	2 minutes
691	11 and under	2 minutes
692	13 and under	5 minutes
693	16 and under	5 minutes
694	18 and under	5 minutes
695	Open	5 minutes

Story Reading

CLASSES WILL REQUIRE CONTESTANTS TO BE ISOLATED. Word-for-word memorization is forbidden—the book must be used.

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
700	7 and under	3 minutes
701	9 and under	4 minutes
702	11 and under	5 minutes

Speech Choirs and Readers Theatre

Marks will not be awarded; only an adjudication comment will be given.

Readers Theatre – Own Choice

MAXIMUM TEN (10) PARTICIPANTS PER GROUP

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
705	9 and under	8 minutes
706	11 and under	8 minutes
707	13 and under	10 minutes
708	16 and under	15 minutes
709	18 and under	20 minutes

Speech Choirs – Own Choice – Two Contrasting Selections

Class	Category	Time Limit
710	Kindergarten	2 minutes
711	Grade 1	2 minutes
712	Grade 2	2 minutes
713	Grades 3 & 4	2 minutes
714	Grades 5 & 6	3 minutes
715	Grade 7	3 minutes
716	Grade 8 – 10	3 minutes
717	Grade 11 – 12	3 minutes

Non-Competitive Novice Classes

Poetry – Own Choice

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
720	Primary Grades 1 – 3	2 minutes
721	Intermediate Grades 4 – 7	3 minutes

Prose – Own Choice

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
725	Primary Grades 1 – 3	3 minutes
726	Intermediate Grades 4 – 7	4 minutes

Speech Choirs – Own Choice – Two Contrasting Selections

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
730	Primary Grades 1 – 3	2 minutes
731	Intermediate Grades 4 – 7	3 minutes

Provincial

Public Speaking and Storytelling

• One selection of original Public Speaking and one selection of Storytelling, performed consecutively in either order, with one minute between selections if required.
• The selection of Public Speaking must be an original extemporaneous speech and not memorized.
  
  • Notes should be used but not read from.
  • The speech can be persuasive, informational, or entertaining on a topic of the speaker’s choice.
• The selection of Storytelling can include an original story or the competitor’s adaptation of a folktale, fairy tale, myth, legend or story.
  
  • Stories must be told in the competitor’s own words without using notes.
    
  • Appropriate sounds, props, or limited movement may be included.

A minimum mark of 85 is required for qualification to Provincials. You need not enter Speech and Dramatic Arts classes.

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
750	11 to 13	10 minutes
751	17 and under	12 minutes
752	23 and under	15 minutes

Provincial Excellence in Speech Arts

• A well–rounded program consisting of selections by different authors representing a diversity of time periods.
  
• The program must include five to seven selections, including one piece by a Canadian author and two contrasting dramatic scenes; one of the scenes must have been written before 1900. Classical scenes such as Greek, Shakespeare, Restoration, or 18th-century dramatic selections may be considered to meet this requirement. 
• All selections must have a unifying theme. Performers must introduce their theme to the audience at the beginning and then briefly explain the selection’s connection to the theme before the performance of each selection.

A minimum mark of 85 is required for qualification to Provincials.

Class	Age Level	Time Limit
755	23 and under	35 minutes