Overdone Themes???

[This Is Awkward]

I am so tired of seeing pieces about cancer, rape, abuse, and eating disorders. So. Tired.

Yeaahh. Back in the day (last year), I did DI at a grand total of two tournaments and I still managed to see four pieces about rape and four more about STDs. At least on our local circuit, there seems to be swings toward certain themes. I've heard that this year there's a lot of death in the family in AZ. Makes me chuckle, which is definitely horrible.
I'm no DI expert (read: HI doesn't make me cry as much as DI does, hence I do HI instead), and I do agree that a great performer should be able to have a great performance regardless of "topic", but from what I've seen, oftentimes these pieces with this type of content get chosen because people mistake horrible things like cancer and death for drama. A lot of times it just comes off as melodramatic, and rather than conveying a real character or human being, it can just be overwhelming. These sorts of pieces CAN be done well, but are arguably the worst (often for questionable content that can just seem awkard when not even performed well) when done poorly.

[RubytheNinja]

Cancer and Autobiographies are extremely common 'round here in Minnesota. Rape is less common, and good holocaust pieces are very rare.

[Captain Nikki]

The most over done theme is shakespeare, at least in Wisconsin, and shakespeare famously never goes over well at a 4n6 tornament

[Hern3256]

In my district, there isn't really a common theme you will see in our outrounds. Our district finals had the following pieces:

Rules of The House (African-American Butler)
A Mighty Heart (Terrorist Capturing)
Extremely loud and Incredibly close (9/11)
Beast of no Nation (African War)
Voices from Chernobyl (Radiation Disaster)
Love valor and Compassion (Gay Actor)