VHSL Regions 5C and 6A Forensics 2023
2023 — Midlothian, VA/US
6A Storytelling
Event Description:
Purpose of Contest: To encourage appreciation of the art of telling a good story in a way that will fully engage children in the dramatic values, with apparent spontaneity, and with directness, simplicity, and enthusiasm without distracting the audience through faulty pronunciation and indistinct enunciation.
Contest Regulations:
1. A contestant will present a children’s story, not exceeding ten minutes in length including an introduction. Contestant must present the same selection in each round of a given tournament. Any contestant who exceeds the established time limit by more than 30 seconds may not rank first or score highest in the round. The adjudicator will not provide time signals, students may not time themselves, no notes may be used and a contestant may not use a story he/she has presented in a regional, super-regional, or state contest in a previous year. Each contestant is to work alone without costume or props since he/she will be judged only on storytelling ability. Gestures are encouraged; however, the movement must be restricted to movement in place. The contestant should assume that the audience consists of a group of children. The contestant may differentiate characters by the use of different voices, focal points, and body postures.
Examples of Judging Criteria
Appearance: speaker’s appearance is appropriate for competition
Poise: speaker is prepared, confident, composed
Choice of Selection: selection is appropriate, and fitting to speaker, category and audience
Organization: selection flows; editing/cutting is coherent
Eye contact: appropriate, focused
Interpretation: speaker’s interpretation is intelligible, effective, engaging, and entertaining
Communication: speaker presents material effectively in a way audience can understand story, characters, and character(s) motivation; establishes mood
Articulation: speaker enunciates, pronounces words correctly, and is understandable
Projection: speaker uses appropriate volume
Vocal Characterization: speaker clearly and thoughtfully creates different voices/accents for characters and is consistent when transitioning between/among characters
Physical Characterization: speaker clearly and thoughtfully creates and presents characters by incorporating appropriate and distinct gestures, body postures, behaviors, and other relevant physicality, and is consistent when transitioning between/among characters
Pace: pacing is appropriately varied, is not too fast or too slow
Memorization: delivery is free of memorization lapses and errors
Freshness: speaker presents material with an “illusion of the first time” as if it were brand new; presentation is not stale or rote
Energy: speaker presents material with appropriate energy level, is not monotonous
Impact: presentation is impactful and arouses emotion in audience