DI Finals List

[LGforyou]

Gosh, "Letter's to Harvey Milk" was AMAZING. I LOVED that speech. Surprisingly, this year was a really really good one at nationals, for everything.

[johnnn]

what did anyone think of Sofia Gomez doing "One True Thing" in '99 ??

[Aramis90]

lol, shes from your school. I thought she was pretty amazing. What was even more amazing was the fact that she was dating Audie Morris ( who got third place with Tell Tale) in 99. Anyways, it took me a couple of times watching it to appreciate it. In all honesty, the 99 DI final was incredible back to back, any one of them could have won ( but I personally like tell tale and inside al more). But one true thing was so real. And she really captured the inner struggle of a career woman who's mother was dying of cancer.

[johnnn]

haha wow. you really know your stuff

[DD4n6nerd11]

What was "Bums" about that finaled twice in 98? How were those performances?

And you know what I've realized and kind of hate? How much the same stuff is used in forensics. I can understand using pieces for moderately talented performers to get something they can break with, but your kids, who have the talent to final at nationals - i feel like you need to find something original and unique. Then again, I think A) each performer and performance is different - which is cool in its own way, B) most teams and coaches don't have the means to go out and search for good, new literature (like my old coach did) and C) if judges were more familiar with previous year's performances, they wouldn't final and therefore would force those "copycat" students to take a different route. I don't know. Am I alone in this? lol

[DD4n6nerd11]

99 - another quandary: I've read "Heart of a Dog." It's about a Canine who inherits human characteristics. It's supposed to be a comedy set in Russia in the early part of the century (well, last century). Is this the same piece? I double-checked on Amazon and there doesn't seem to be another "Heart of a Dog." If so, how the heck did he/she cut it to make it funny? lol

[Aramis90]

Lol. Heart of a dog was written in a collection of short stories by Terry Galloway. Its not actually a book. Its like how the last words on earth isnt a book either, it came from A complete History of love by Nicole Krauss. I also agree with you on the recylcling of peices. Especially when the ones at later times dont do the originals justice. Hears some more trivia for you, Michael Washington won Nationals in DI97 (won in 96 as well but in HI), with Bums, and the next year there wasnt just one, but two bums. However, the peices were performed differently. A guy and a girl did it, so they focused on different people's stories. The girl focused on a jewish woman who lost her only son at the park one day and became a bag lady, while the guy focused on pretty much the same story as Michael Washington ( The story of Broadway Vic). I think one might argue that these peices are just so perfect that they need to be done again. Demon Wilson won DI in 91 with Paul Robeson, and then 13 years later he coached D'anglelo Lacy with the same peice to the national championship. Apple Valley did an amazing version of wrong for each other in 99 which got sixth, only to have the brentwood academy win with it in 2003 with an inferior version. Interp is a tricky event, just like most of forensics, and I could go on all day about different events in history. Currently a student of mine is losing to a girl from another school who is doing 13 things about Ed Carpolotti, which is funny to me because i actually competed against Alice stanley the year she did it (we are both from the Eastern Missouri district). People just realize what wins and do the smallest amount of work to achieve great results. One could however also argue that some overdone peices get remade, like Oedi in 03, Ruthless in 04, and Rinse the blood from my toga in 05. I think as long as you arent microwaving a past peices and trying to remake what has already been done, then you will be fine. But nothing made me madder than when I watched Somone Wholl watch over me in duo finals this year, only to watch the same exact lines and blocking that were used in the 99 version, as well as the 97 and 96 versions. For small schools, I think its fine to use old peices as a crutch to start up a program, but as the programs continue to grow, I think they should strive for originality unless they find a way to rework a peice in some way ( James logan winning nats in 96 with Having our say then turning it into a duo in 04 that got third). Only time will tell.

Kyle

[HumanAshtray]

Gosh, "Letter's to Harvey Milk" was AMAZING. I LOVED that speech. Surprisingly, this year was a really really good one at nationals, for everything.

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Not the best DI i've seen, but still, AMAZING.

[CynthiAngel07]

how was "stuck in neutral" from 2003?

[Aramis90]

Definatly the strongest and most realistic performance in that round. He was the only one that made me belive that he was the character from beginning to end.There seems to be a resurgance of that peice all over the nation right now, just like Camp Sunshine last year in HI.

Kyle