It is important that entries are submitted by the due date and are completed
in every detail and accompanied by the appropriate fee.
Incomplete entries will be returned.
To encourage participation of students entered by elementary schools, consideration is
being given to establishing special classes for adjudication only, and which would not
be eligible for either Bursary or Provincial selection. Such special classes for
elementary schools would be for novice students entering solo selections for:
Poetry, own choice
Grades 1 to 3 (Primary)
Class 626
Poetry, own choice
Grades 4 to 7 (Intermediate)
Class 627
Monologue, own choice
Grades 1 to 3 (Primary)
Class 628
Monologue, own choice
Grades 4 to 7 (Intermediate)
Class 629
Similar consideration will be given to elementary teachers who enter elementary speech
choirs in these grades categories. Selections would be two contrasting own choices.
Speech Choirs
Grades 1 to 3 (Primary)
Class 630
Speech Choirs
Grades 4 to 7 (Intermediate)
Class 631
NOTE: STUDENTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO ENTER IN COMPETITIVE CLASSES RATHER THAN
NON-COMPETITIVE, WHENEVER IT IS APPROPRIATE.
One good quality copy for each own choice selection MUST
be received by the Speech Arts Chairperson by February 15th. Failure to observe this rule
could result in withdrawal of the contestant in those classes in which Own Choice
selections have not been received.
ALL COPIES OF OWN CHOICE SELECTIONS SHOULD BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH BOTH THE
COMPETITOR'S NAME AND CLASS NUMBER.
Due to copyright laws, students should select work from school texts or readily
available publications as they must have such publications available for the
adjudicator's use at the performance. Copies are not acceptable for this purpose and
will result in disqualification.
OWN CHOICE SELECTIONS: YOU MUST BRING THE PUBLICATION CONTAINING THE SELECTION WITH
YOU FOR THE ADJUDICATOR'S USE. Original publications must be presented to the
adjudicator's secretary when proceeding to perform. Such must be opened to the
appropriate page for the selection and indicate the start and the end of the selection
being performed. Such publications will be available after the adjudication. The
Festival does not accept responsibility for unclaimed publications.
In duo and group entries the appropriate class is determined by the age of the
OLDEST entrant.
Groups should be entered under the name of the group, giving the number of participants
rather than as individual entries. ONE entry for a duo or group with ONE complete form.
In duos, substitutions may be allowed for one member if the Speech Arts Chairperson is
notified immediately. Such substitutions will be at the discretion of the chairperson
(see general rules).
AWARDS AND BURSARIES: Competitors wishing to qualify for bursaries must enter a
minimum of two solo classes within their age grouping. Winners will be chosen by
the adjudicator (see General Rules).
Performers aspiring to the Provincial recommendation are required to enter poetry,
provincial prose and dramatic monologue classes, and should contact the chairperson
regarding Provincial requirements.
All speech presentations must be memorized, except for Sight Reading, Readers' Theatre
and story-reading sections.
Contestants are reminded that time limits must not be exceeded. If exceeded, a bell
will sound and competitors must stop immediately.
Competitors, teachers or parents must not communicate directly with the adjudicator (see
general rules).
PROSE - The focus should be on the voice with a minimum of gesture. Competitors
may stand or be seated. No acting. The selection should include both narration and
dialogue. It should be concise (a few paragraphs from a novel/story forming a dramatic
unit) and spoken in the story telling style, but should not be performed as a dramatic
scene. Vocal characterization is encouraged and the quality of prose should be
maintained.
DRAMA - A published play intended to be presented on stage by actors assuming
language, movement and dress of original character. Selections from published
anthologies of individual monologues ARE acceptable. Please take careful note
of the description under "Improvisation" classes.
POETRY
Lyric - a short unified poem expressing the poet's own experience and emotion in a
relaxed stance with no movement. The speaker interprets but should not identify
himself/herself with it: lyric does not tell a story but describes a scene or
emotion: e.g. "Solitude" by Bliss Carman; "To Autumn" by Keats; Sonnets of
Shakespeare and Wordsworth.
Narrative- A poem which tells a story and usually has a dialogue, the telling of the
story is the primary concern of the speaker: e.g. "Hiding" by Dorothy Aldis; "The
King's Breakfast" by A.A. Milne, "The Raven" by E.A. Poe; "The Cattle Thief" by
Pauline Johnson.
Difference between poetry and prose - in verse we mould our language into some kind
of pattern design; in prose we do not..
Costumes and Props - Costuming and props are only permitted for the Drama
selection. Competitors should select material which requires an absolute minimum of props
and these should be portable. All props and costumes remain the sole responsibility of the
competitors. Competitors should use good judgment in selecting suitable dress for their
presentations. It is not intended that students use elaborate costumes.
