Speech, Drama and Debate
Author: MT43 News Staff Reporter
Speech, Drama and Debate
MT43 News Staff Reporter
Townsend Speech, Drama and Debate Team is off to a spectacular start for their 2023-2024 season bringing home the Class B Drama Trophy twice already. For those who are not familiar, Speech, Drama and Debate is an extracurricular competitive activity sanctioned by the Montana High School Association (MHSA) taking place from October through January. It is an excellent opportunity to develop public speaking skills by offering a variety of speaking and performance events.
Both debate and speech events require professional attire with costumes and props not allowed. Debate events can be either solo or duo and include Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Policy Debate and Public Forum Debate. Speech events include Dramatic Oral Interpretation (DOI), Extemporaneous (Extemp), Humorous Oral Interpretation (HOI), Impromptu (Impromp), Informative (Inform), Memorized Public Address (MPA), Original Oratory (OO) and Spontaneous Oral Interpretation (SPOI). Drama Events may be serious or humorous, present one or more characters, and costumes and props are allowed but not stage makeup. Drama Events include Classic Theater (Classic), Dramatic Solo, Dramatic Theater, Humorous Solo, Humorous Theater and Pantomime (Mime).
Tournaments consist of each competitor or group of competitors participating in at least three preliminary rounds (sometimes up to five preliminary rounds, depending on the size of the meet). Each of these rounds sees the pieces ranked 1st thru 8th by volunteer judges. After the preliminary rounds are complete, the top 8 in each event move on to the final round (sometimes there is a semifinal round as well, again depending on the size of the meet). After completion of the rounds, the competitors are ranked using points from all the rounds with the winner of that event having the lowest number of points.
Like track and field or cross country, Speech, Debate and Drama is both an individual sport AND a team sport. Teams are awarded points for competitors who place in the Top 8 of their events. Team trophies are awarded for each category (Debate, Speech & Drama) and usually by class. Most tournaments are one day events taking place on Saturdays, but some of the larger meets hold preliminary rounds on Fridays.
Townsend’s Speech and Drama Team is coached by Denise Bakkum and Allie Lampman and is 30 Bulldogs strong. They kicked off their season on November 18th traveling to Ennis and capturing the Class B Drama Championship. The Speech Team results 3rd Lexi Davies (OO), 7th Sam Flesch (SPOI) and 8th Kayley Conner (HOI). The Drama Team results 1st Scarlett McDaniel & Nykia Mondragon (Classic), 1st Trista Moos and Dania Peltier (Dramatic Theater), 2nd Arabella McDaniel (Mime), 2nd Jazlyn Martin, Hayley Reinke & Melania Lambott (Dramatic Theater), 2nd Hannah Hall (Drama Solo), 3rd Noah Borror, Sarah Morgan, Angel & Shalyn Sentinella (Classic), 3rd Jasmine Thomas (Hum Solo), 4th Caleb LeLacheur & Cooper Hines (Hum Theater), 5th Jenna Smucker (Hum Solo) and 8th Riley Rauser, Logan Barkhurst, Aidan Easter & Jenna Mainwaring (Hum Theater).
The Bulldogs went to a massive tournament in Helena over the weekend and brought home the Class B Drama Trophy again. The Valley of Gold Speech and Drama took place over two days with speech events at Capital High School, drama events at East Helena High School and a debate tournament at Carroll College. There were several hundred competitors from nearly 40 schools, representing all classes of high school competition. All classes compete in debate and speech, while only A, B & C compete in drama. The 76 drama competitors completed five preliminary rounds, a semifinal and a final round.
The Drama Team results 1st Scarlett McDaniel, Noah Borror & Nykia Mondragon (Classic), 2nd Hannah Hall (Drama Solo), 2nd Havyn Vandenacre & Kyla Meissner (Hum Theater), 4th Arabella McDaniel (Mime), 5th Jazlyn Martin & Hayley Reinke (Drama Theater), 5th Caleb LeLacheur & Cooper Hines (Hum Theater), 6th Dania Peltier, Trista Moos & Shalyn Sentinella (Drama Theater), 6th Jasmine Thomas (Hum Solo), 6th Creighton Wright, Isiah Cassidy & Grace Kroeger (Classic), 7th Riley Rauser, Logan Barkhurst, Aidan Easter & Jenna Mainwaring (Hum Theater) and 8th Jenna Smucker (Hum Solo). Ashley Sanderson placed 3rd in SPOI for the Speech Team.
Our Bulldogs next travel to Three Forks this Saturday, December 9th. Spectators are welcome, but be prepared to laugh out loud or need a tissue. Tournaments begin at 8:00 a.m.
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Denise Bakkum
Image 1 Caption: First meet of the season in Ennis.
Photo Credits: Denise Bakkum
Image 2 Caption: Valley of Gold Meet in Helena
Photo Credits: Denise Bakkum
