2025 Blacksnake NIETOC
2025 — Pocatello, ID/US
Humorous Interpretation
Event Description:
Humorous Interpretation - 10 minutes with a 30-second “grace
period.” No time signals provided.
Individual (solo) performance of humorous literature 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 and recorded
works as provided for in the rules below.
1. Length: The time limit in Humorous 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.
2. Performance: The presentation may not use physical objects
or costuming. During the presentation, the contestant must
name the author and the source from which the cutting was
made. Additionally:
a. Humorous Interpretation selections must be presented
from memory.
b. Monologues, prose, and poetry selections are acceptable
in Humorous Interpretation.
c. The contestants should be evaluated on poise, quality
and use of voice, physical expression and especially the
ability to interpret characters correctly and consistently.
This allows full body movement (bending, kneeling,
turning).