1. Oral Interpretation
By:
Randi C. Lundgren

2. What is Oral Interpretation?

3. “The art of communicating to an audience a work of literary art
in its intellectual, emotional, and aesthetic entirety”
Charlotte Lee and Timothy Gura. Oral Interpretation.

4. In English…
Read a piece of literature out loud, interpreting it and adding emotion to your words.
“An enlightening way to share the wonderful world of literature with other people.” Carol Marrs. The Complete Book of Speech Communication.

5. What steps should I take?
Select your literature
Analyze your piece
Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance
Carol Marrs. The Complete Book of Speech Communication.

6. Step One… Select your literature Analyze your piece Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance

7. Brent C. Oberg. Speechcraft: An Introduction to Public Speaking.
Making your choice.
Find a piece that fits and interests you.
Consider the assignment and time limits.
Consider your audience
Universality – All people can relate to the theme of the story
– ex. Love, Hate, Jealousy, or Fear.
Brent C. Oberg. Speechcraft: An Introduction to Public Speaking.

8. Step Two… Select your literature Analyze your piece Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance

9. Brent C. Oberg. Speechcraft: An Introduction to Public Speaking.
Analyze your text
Read and re-read your text over and over.
Decide on gestures, movements, and facial expressions for each character
Look up all words you do not know
Brent C. Oberg. Speechcraft: An Introduction to Public Speaking.

10. Step Three… Select your literature Analyze your piece
Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance

11. Cutting your text… Choose a scene that can be taken on its own
Must have a beginning, a middle, and an end
Pick an interesting scene full of action
Show don’t tell!
Cut the he/she said… etc…
Charlotte Lee and Timothy Gura. Oral Interpretation.

12. Step Four… Select your literature Analyze your piece
Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance

13. Placement Pick a different place on the back wall for each character
When that character has a line, look and gesture toward that spot
Change your voice for the various characters
Don’t be over dramatic
Narration focuses on audience as a whole
Carol Marrs. The Complete Book of Speech Communication.

14. Step Five… Select your literature Analyze your piece
Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance

15. Marking your text… Draw arrows in your text to suggest placement
Use X’s to distinguish a beat
Use more X’s for more beats
Underline the words you want to stress
Carol Marrs. The Complete Book of Speech Communication.

16. He was a one-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater.
Carol Marrs. The Complete Book of Speech Communication.

17. He was a one-eyed, one-horned flying purple PEOPLE eater.
Was he a purple monster who ate normal people?
Carol Marrs. The Complete Book of Speech Communication.

18. He was a one-eyed, one-horned flying PURPLE people eater.
Was he a normal monster who ate purple people?
Carol Marrs. The Complete Book of Speech Communication.

19. Step Six… Select your literature Analyze your piece Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance

20. The purpose of an introduction…
Prepare your audience
Prepare yourself
The audience is allowed to see you as yourself so it will be easier to see the changes in your characters.
Judy E. Yordon. Roles in Interpretation.

21. Elements of an introduction…
Title of the selection
Author’s name
Background information leading up to the beginning of your cutting
Judy E. Yordon. Roles in Interpretation.

22. Step Seven… Select your literature Analyze your piece
Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance

23. PRACTICE !!!!
Practice several times so that you know your literature like the back of your hand.
Practice your placement.
Practice in front of a mirror so you can see your facial expressions and adjust them to fit.
Carol Marrs. The Complete Book of Speech Communication.

24. Step Eight… Select your literature Analyze your piece
Cut your selection
Place your characters
Mark your text
Write an introduction
Practice, Practice, Practice!!!
Performance

25. Performance Time
The performance should be entertaining, energetic, and fun for both the audience and the performer.

26. Handling your text… Put selection on only one side of the page
Put it in a three ring binder
Use fairly large print and double space the text
Arrange pages so you won’t be turning the pages during the middle of a paragraph

27. Let’s try it…

28. Great Job!!

29. J. Regis O’Connor. Speech: Exploring Communication.
“A good speaker can perform literature just as a good musician performs music.”
J. Regis O’Connor. Speech: Exploring Communication.

30. Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!