Mount Vernon and Lisbon speech teams have been taking the holiday break to get ready for speech contests, coming up at the end of the month.
Mount Vernon has 89 students on the speech team this year, participating in 34 different events. Large group speech coach Grant Freeman said that’s a record number for the speech program.
“We’re excited for everyone to compete from Peter Pan (One Act), A universe where socks are animated in TVN, and a physical comedy take on Shakespeare,” Freeman said.
They have a conference meet scheduled for West Delaware Monday, Jan. 20, and then district large group speech competition at Monticello Jan. 25 and state large group speech competition Feb. 8 at Cedar Rapids Washington.
A speech showcase will also be held at Mount Vernon Performing Arts Center Saturday, Feb. 15, of any groups who receive All-State nominations for the year.
“I’m just looking forward to so many students competing,” Freeman said. “Not only do we have a great new freshmen team, but we had a massive audition class of new varsity students. Whether it’s students trying a new category like Solo Mime or students who have never been onstage trying reader’s theatre. The greatest joy is seeing students tap into their own potential in our program.”
Lisbon has a total of 25 students participating in seven events this season – TV News, group improv, two acting ensembles, musical theater, choral reading and group mime. Coach Ellen Johaans called the team small but mighty.
“! I feel encouraged by each group’s dedication and drive to compete,” Johaans said.
They have their first conference speech meet Saturday, Jan. 18, at Calamus Wheatland, then districts at Monticello Jan. 25 and then state at Cedar Rapids-Washington Saturday, Feb. 8.
“I’m always excited about everything we’ve got going. Both of the ensembles are really cute and funny,” Johaans said. “Improv is a group of gals who have never competed in it before. We are using Matilda the Musical as our source material for Choral Reading, and those have been really fun rehearsals. We haven’t had a TV News group in the past couple of years so I’m excited to see what they come up with. I have two very talented singers in our “Tick Tick Boom” musical theater, and this year’s group mime consists of freshmen and sophomores in a witchy scene we’re calling ‘Spelling Errors.’”