Blue Ridge Classic at TC Roberson
2025 — Asheville, NC/US
Dramatic Interpretation
Event Description:
Interpretation
This includes categories of individual (solo) performances of dramatic (serious) and humorous literature, as well as duo performance of either emotive appeal, with selections drawn from published, printed: novels, short stories, plays, poetry, or other printed, published works, PDFs, e-books, as well as limited online works as provided for in the rules below.
1. Divisions. Contests are conducted in Dramatic, Humorous, Duo, and Program Oral Interpretation. See additional rules for the supplemental and consolation interpretation events of Poetry, Prose, and Storytelling.
2. Length: The time limit in Interpretation Main Events (Dramatic, Humorous, Duo, and Program Oral Interpretation) is ten minutes with a 30-second “grace period.” If there are multiple judges in the round, all must agree that the student has gone beyond the grace period. Should a student go beyond the grace period, the student may not be ranked 1st. There is no other prescribed penalty for going over the grace period. The ranking is up to each individual judge’s discretion. Judges who choose to time are to use accurate (stopwatch function) timing devices. No minimum time is mandated.
3. Material: Selections used in the oral interpretation main events of Dramatic, Humorous, and Duo Interpretation must be cuttings from a single work of literature (one short story, play, or novel), unless poetry is used, in which case cuttings may come from one or more poems from a single source. If the source is an anthology collection of short stories, plays, or novels, each selection of literature is independent and only one selection can be used, even if it is from the same author. If the source is an anthology that includes poetry, multiple poems may be used from this single source by one or a variety of authors. Unlike the other oral interpretation main events, Program Oral Interpretation may use multiple sources for the program. Song lyrics may be used if the performer has an original, hard copy of the lyrics such as sheet music or a CD jacket. Lyrics may only be used from online sources that appear on the approved websites list. See specific rules for Program Oral Interpretation and Supplemental interpretation events.
A. Print, PDF, and E-book Publications:
1) Print publications include novels, short stories, plays, or poetry, published in print as per 4A.
2) In addition, published, unaltered PDF documents that are commercially or professionally available are also eligible sources.
3) E-books (such as Kindle, Nook, etc.) may also serve as eligible sources. NOTE: In addition to these sources, certain online materials are allowed as per 3B.
4) Also, if a treatment of a movie script is ordered from a company that provides printed movie scripts, keep the original treatment. Please note that the text of the treatment may differ from the actual film, so students are advised against transcribing directly from the film
B. Digital (Online) Publications: Material is only allowed from pre-approved online publishing sources listed at www.speechanddebate.org/approvedwebsites. Online material must meet the web page standards outlined below:
1) If the website offers online material in a variety of formats, only material that can be printed directly from the web page is allowed.
2) The Association defines a web page as a document coded with a hypertext markup language (HTML), displayed in a web browser.
3) The following guidelines determine the digital (online) publication sources selected:
a. The literary material is from a website with strict editorial submission standards that include editorial review and acceptance. Also, websites that have an editorial review for their own staff writers are permissible. In either case, the website must be on the NSDA Approved List. See submission guidelines below.
b. Unacceptable sites include:
i. Personal sites (social network content, such as Facebook posts, tweets, and unmoderated blogs)
ii. Personal professional sites (those where a writer has their own site and can place their works for sale or view such as Wix or similar platforms)
iii. Publish it sites (those with one click upload or that accept submissions without a selection process)
c. Texts must come from a verifiable website that can be accessed universally by any user. The site and literary text need to be verifiable on the web if challenged.
i. Unmarked or casual sites where individuals can easily post work either for performance or criticism will not be accepted.
ii. The website has been in existence for a minimum of two years prior to submission for consideration by the National Speech & Debate Association for the upcoming school year (several online tools allow for verification of the existence of a website).
C. Prohibited Material: not published in print or allowable online material as per above, including:
1) Recorded material (videotape, DVDs, audio tape, CDs, MP3s, or phonograph recordings).
2) Original material published in a high school publication such as a newspaper, literary magazine, or yearbook. D. Source Verification: It is the affirmative duty of each coach and each student entered in Interpretation contests to determine absolutely that the cutting being performed meets all rules for material. Interp source material must be available at all district tournament contests in the event of a protest. However, it shall be the choice of each individual District Committee whether or not to require these materials be submitted prior to the district contest. At the National Tournament, all quarterfinalists are required to turn in the following items to the ombudsperson by noon on the third day of competition unless officially notified otherwise by the National Tournament director. Any contestant failing to produce the following items to the ombudsperson by the aforementioned deadline will not qualify for the semifinal rounds of competition.
1) The original published source of any selection used must be immediately available at the tournament. When requested by tournament officials, access to the source material upon demand, either in electronic or print form, must be presented.
a. For print publications, the original source is the physical book. Photocopies of original literature are not acceptable.
b. For PDFs, an original, unaltered PDF via flash drive, email, or on an electronic device (e.g., laptop) must be presented. Manipulation of a PDF script outside the scope of the rules will be subject to disqualification.
c. PDF publications from an approved source and e-books are permitted. Competitors may turn in an e-book via flashdrive, email, or e-reader. For e-books, an original, unaltered e-pub or other recognized e-book format via flash drive or email must be presented; however, as some e-book formats are exclusive to their specific apps or electronic readers, students must provide the required technology and/or internet access to verify the material performed for tournament officials.
d. For a digital publication, a printed manuscript will be turned in as the original source. Only the printed manuscript shall be considered adequate proof of authenticity. i. The material the competitor performs must presently appear on the website if questions arise in competition. The website and online version of the digital publication need to be available for comparison if challenged. Online access is the fundamental responsibility of tournament officials and/or individual filing the protest. NOTE: If tournament officials cannot gain online access and the above requirements have been met, the piece is considered legal for use.