HDD Formula of Speech

[airpezman]

HDD FORMULA SELECTIONS

Humor, Dancing, Drama


I have noticed a common theme that runs throughout i.e. tournaments throughout the years, and I'd like to get some intelligent discussion on observations that people have regarding the issue, SPEECH FORMULA.

1. Many people claim, "The judging at this meet was awful". It is heard far too often, that it must be factored into the SPEECH FORMULA.

2. Speech Formula: What is it? What do you need to include in a piece to have better odds of finaling?
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My Observations

1. Pieces that are generally overdone for a reason; they get you into finals. In other words they are normally performed so frequently since they have a tendency to carry the performer into finals.. People "hate" overdone pieces for various reasons. One reason is that they continue to see the same pieces make finals..

EXAMPLE: 'Someone to Watch Over Me' has been in NFL Final Round Duo 3 times since Duo began in 1996. Out of thousands of literary choices, are we really to believe that it was just a coincidence?

"Dominick and Eugene": Final round Duo two times (NFL Champ in 1998).
(Pieces with similar forumulas to Dom and Eugene include "Down Came the Rain, Sounds of Silence, and Olive Juice)

FORMULA PIECES VS NON FORMULA PIECES

EXAMPLES:

(1) If Billy was a 2nd year varsity humor boy and he was debating whether to perform "008," "Shakespeare-Abridged," or "Neil Simon's Promises Promises". Immidiately, I would tell Billy to eliminate Neil Simon if I wanted to increase his odds in finaling.

Although "008" is a poorly written piece of literature, it is performed year after year for one main reason - it works. It fits the HUMOR formula. Shakespeare Abridged fits the HUMOR formula as well..

What is the HUMOR formula? Well, I can tell you that selections such as "008" are more likely to beat Neil Simon's "Prisoner of Second Avenue". Why is this? What about "008" has the winning touch? Why would it beat Neil Simon more times than none?

(2) Although two brillant female performers could easily perform a selection from Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, or Tennesee Williams, these are generally not even looked at in place of pieces such as "MAKING TOAST". Why? Is "Making Toast" brillantly written? I would say YES YES YES in terms of HS SPEECH. HDD Formula!! Whoever wrote MAKING TOAST was wonderfully in tune with the HDD Formula. Congrats!

-Simple: Making Toast fits the Speech Formula perfectly.

Step 1: Add Humor in Beginning.
Step 2: Add some fun synchronized Dancing.
Step 3: Add Multiple Scenes (4 or more) instead of 1.
Step 4: Add a huge dramatic climax.
Step 5: Add a catchy "phrase" that acts to connect the speech that also serves as the title.. (i.e. TOAST, THUMBS)

EXAMPLE: State Champ and former NFL piece-called THUMBS... it was about a hockey player and a sports anchor... they go through struggles as best friends..after each scene they put their thumbs up...until one has a stroke, blah blah...

Unfortunately, there is not that much material that can fit the HDD Formula..

1. Humor: Funny Lines, (Contemporary Humor)
2. Dancing: ShowStopper, Flashy Technique
3. Drama: Crisis
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What do you feel about the HDD Formula? Agree? Disagree?

Make some amendments to the Formula. Have Fun!


PEZ

[Jordan F]

For NFL National Tournaments, I would agree 100%.

Now, I am from Tennessee, and for our tournaments, I would not agree with this.

It seems in TN, the first place Duet or Duo winners are mostly a full force drama or full force comedy... For instance...

(and I guess this gives me a change to brag)
My duet (I Bring You Flowers) starts off with a 30 second cutsie scene, then it goes into very intense drama. We have gotten first place at every tournament this year. Last year a comedy always won first, a full fledge comedy too. Same goes for duo here. Natioanlly, I agree 100% though.

[sassafrassz]

Well, I can tell you that selections such as "008" are more likely to beat Neil Simon's "Prisoner of Second Avenue". Why is this?


Because "Prisioners of Second Avenue" is horrible (or was, when I saw it). When I say "horrible", I just mean that it wasn't really funny OR dramatic, and doesn't really give the interpers a chance to show of their talents..

Unfortunately, many pieces are funny no matter WHO is performing them (unless they're really doing the piece injustice). If you can be even a LITTLE funny, you'll go far.

:sigh:... its so frustrating when dumb, overdone pieces do as well (or better) than pieces with REAL literary merit.

[airpezman]

Alright, I disagree that "Prisoner of Second Avenue" is "horrible"; however, this is a mere opinion as everything else is when it comes to judging interp.

Literary Merit: How do you define this? Which has more literary merit? Put these in order.

1. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller.
2. "008"
3. "Promises Promises" by Neil Simon


POLL AMONG THEATER ENTHUSIASTS

A) If THEATER ENTHUSIASTS were given a copy of "008" and Neil Simon's "Prisoner of Second Avenue," and asked WHICH SELECTION HAS MORE LITERARY VALUE? In essence which play should go down in the Literary Cannon as a "CLASSIC"... 008 or Neil Simon

How would the Poll turn out? My guess would be...

008: 7%
Neil Simon: 93%

Ok....let me know what ya think..
[/u][/b]

[Jordan F]

Forensics and Theatre are so much different. 008 was written for forensics I belive... it's almost as large as the difference between stage and film. I mean its a totally different animal. You can't use the same techniques always, you don't have 2 hours to impress someone, you have 10 minutes. It's a whole different style, you can't use one in the other.

[sassafrassz]

Alright, I disagree that "Prisoner of Second Avenue" is "horrible"; however, this is a mere opinion as everything else is when it comes to judging interp.


It's not necessarily a horrible piece (what I tried to say came out wrong) its just that when I saw it, it was PERFORMED horribly. It does have some potential, but, as Jordan F said, forensics and theater are completely different... and I don't think it necessarily works very well as a forensics piece.

Also - literary merit? how many judges acctually take that into consideration? Personally, I wish more did.

[Jesus]

While sometimes true, the people who truely succeed in interp in general, dont always follow this at all. Soccer Mom From Outer Space: rarely done, very funny, flashy, but good. People are tending to catch on to overdone pieces. In the lonjjg beach final round there was 1 piece that iVE HEARD OF before, and that was Oedi, who got last in that room. From what iVE noticed, in CA especially, people are moving away from this trend and going for something more out of the blue and creative. I give someone more credit for thinking to cut a book, collection of articals or a kids story, then one who picks up a given 10 minute script. I think this shows off all of their creativity, not only through their speech, but through their cutting.

In Duo finals there is, from what iVE noticed 2-3 of those pieces that make finals. (Nats: Infinate Ache, Batboy(kinda), and Having our Say....Berkely: Having Our Say, Scooter Thomas...) The whole round isnt made of those and if u create this formula its only gunna lead way for more people being uncreative and not thinking up their own ****.