College Forensics: Introduction to Interp
Just kidding. Working with a black book looks scarier than it really is.
Have you ever watched a sitcom where there's a class assignment that requires two OBVIOUSLY incompatible people to take joint responsibility in caring for an inanimate object like it was a baby? They're all like, "Whaaat? This is ridiculous. I don't want to carry around this sack of flour!" But they misplace the bag of flour and then they're all like, "Oh noes! I totes need that to do well!" Then they kinda, sorta, accidentally enjoy taking care of the bag of flour. It becomes their "bay-bay" not in the literal sense, but in a "I have a newly found respect for what this inanimate object comes to represent."
This is what the black book is for college interpers. Instead of a flour sack, you find yourself tasked with carrying around a black binder. At first you think, "This is ridiculous! I can barely move one of my arms! I need that arm to reach all of my #feeeelings!" But you pretty much have to carry it around because the manuscript is required in college interp and the binder (although a norm and not technically a rule) is pretty much expected.
One day you go to a coaching session, but you forget your binder in your room and you start to try to run through your performance but...but...you can't. Someone tries to hand you a different binder, but it just feels wrong. Then you realize that like it or not...you've grown attached that three ring lump of vinyl and cardboard. It's yo "bay-bay."
To compare college and high school interp as "similar but different" is vague, frustrating, and kind of accurate. Yes, there are characters, intros, and #feeeelings, but the college circuit tends to reward more nuanced and subdued performances. Yes, you keep your script in your binder, but the regulations for publication verification aren't there. Yes, you speak for 8 to 10 minutes, but no one is giving you time signals or grace periods. Yes, H.I. does not exist as an event in college, but you'll be using humor in a variety of pieces. You'll have teasers and intros - and those introductions better sound like an ivy league English lit course squeezed into sixty seconds.
I feel like I'm selling the college interps short right now. There are some really awesome things you can do! The events are based on genre of literature, not the tone. You'll see Proses and D.I.s that are downright hilarious. Program events allow you to create innovative performances by splicing different pieces together. Topics, subject matter, and language are more mature and varied than what you would typically find in the high school circuit. There is more freedom to experiment - as long as you're able to explain the reasons behind your experimentation. Plus, the movies, television shows, spoken word poetry, and online literature that may not have an ISBN number is fair game in collegiate competition.
When you add all of this together you find that college interp performances are thought-provoking, emotionally driven, and quite often life-changing performances. With this new world of literature, splicing, and argumentation - you're able to learn more about yourself and the world around you. It is one of the rare opportunities available to combine rhetoric, passion, performance, and competition.
Below you'll find a list of the interp events you'll see most often at college tournaments. Some areas may offer specialized events, experimental events, or improvisational events. For the sake of simplicity, this article will focus on discussing the descriptions, rules, and norms of the interp events as they appear at the American Forensic Association National Individual Events Tournament and the National Forensic Association National Tournament.
AFA = American Forensic Association, NFA = National Forensic Association, IFA = International Forensic Tournament, PRP = Phi Rho Pi, DSR = Delta Sigma Rho, PKD = Pi Kappa Delta. To learn more about each organization, click 'National Tournament and Organization' and scroll down to view the links.
| Event | Rules, Descriptions, and Norms | |
|
Dramatic Interp |
AFA, NFA,IFA, |
Dramatic refers to the type of literature and not the tone of the performance. Pulled from plays, television, film, radio plays, and videos, the goal is to create a vivid character(s) from a piece written with the intention of being performed. D.I.s can range from a singular monologue, one character addressing an audience, multiple characters addressing an audience, multiple characters in off-stage dialogue, or a combination of different styles. Use of manuscript is required. |
|
Duo |
AFA, NFA, IFA, PRP, DSR, PKD |
Similar to high school competition, Duo involves two performers. Recently, national organizations such as AFA and NFA have begun to open the doors for programs and different literature to be used in the event. This means a Duo may range from two characters in one play to multiple characters in a performance that includes plays, prose, and poetry. The goal is to utilize teamwork, highlight interpersonal relationships/cooperation, and employ effective characterization through the interpretation of literature. Use of manuscript is required. |
|
Poetry |
AFA, NFA, IFA, PRP, DSR, PKD |
Poets of the world rejoice! Be it spoken word, free verse, sonnets, haikus - if it is considered a poem then consider it fair play. You'll find that Poetry in college is quite similar to what you see in high school competition. Without rules restricting literature to ISBN publications - you'll find a greater range of literature available for performance. From one long poem to a program of several, highlighting the use of vivid language (while maintaining a coherent and compelling theme/argument in a program) is the goal. Use of manuscript is required. |
|
Program |
AFA, IFA,PRP, |
Program Oral Interp (a.k.a. P.O.I. or "Poy like boy") allows performers to craft a program on a particular theme, concept, or argument through the use of a variety of literature from drama, prose, and poetry. P.O.I. requires a fair amount of skill. Not only do your poems need to sound different than your prose, but you need to piece everything together in a clear, coherent, and compelling fashion. The opportunities for creativity and personal connection are endless. Use of manuscript is required. |
| Prose Interp |
AFA, NFA, IFA, PRP, DSR, PKD |
Prose is all about stories and narratives and can include novels, short stories, articles, memoirs, and essays be it fiction or non-fiction (though children's literature is virtually non-existent.) Some Prose performances have a single narrator addressing the audience while others may include different characters. You'll find that some stories lend themselves to using a different point of view, and performers exploring narration in first-, second-, or third-person. Your basic goal is to 'tell a story.' Use of manuscript is required. |
These are very basic overviews of the various interp events. Consider it a very quick introduction. In future posts, we'll explore each event in more depth.
For many high school competitors, college interp may appear to lack the appearance of fun to which they are generally accustomed. Carrying around a binder and attending a tournament where H.I. doesn't exist sounds like...well...I don't know what it sounds like but I've seen people scrunch their faces like they just drank bad milk. You're going to have to trust me when I say that college interp is FAR FROM BAD MILK. Once you realize that the packaging is just a little different, you open up a carton of college interp and you're like, 'Woah! This tastes like chocolate/strawberry/vanilla/soy/almond awesomeness!"
Everything you enjoy about interp - making people laugh, performing for a crowd, doing something different, making audiences think and feel something - is all there in college interp. Getting familiar with the different events is the first step to finding your niche on the collegiate circuit. Just remember to keep your black book handy, it's your new bestie that will be with you in all of your rounds.
