Free Resources

Abridging (AKA: Cutting) Literature	From The Northern California Forensics Association - 3 Major Steps
Cutting Material for Speech Competitions	Tips from one of our 4N6 Fanatics Coaches! Lindsey Petropoulos, Rice Middle School, TX -- Ready to coach your students in the art of “cutting” performance pieces? Lindsey Petropoulous has over ten years’ experience as a speech, theatre and debate teacher and coach and provides some tips to help your students get started.
Cutting Scripts by Juan De La Cruz of 3P Speech	Everyone develops their own unique cutting approach that may vary based on event or type of literature to be cut. In this article Juan De La Cruz provides some insight into his own personal style for cutting selections.
Developing Strong Interp Introductions	Introductions for any event follow the same principle: set the tone while providing any necessary background information and include the selection's title and author. It sounds easy, right? But that doesn’t mean it’s not important! While a relatively small aspect of your performance, the intro has the potential to move your performance from a lower rank to the top performance of a round or tournament. Writing strong introductions will make you and your selection memorable and relevant.
Editing Literature for Oral Interpretation - VIDEO	By Eric Mischne, Asst Professor of Communication at Cedarville University, Ohio
Finding and Selecting Material - VIDEOS	From the Ad Astra Debate League, Kansas’ number one resource for competitive speech and debate programs. Pam McComas (Retired NSDA Board member and coach - Topeka HS) and Russ Tidwell (Coach - Garden City HS) combine their talents as two of the all-time Kansas speech and interpretation legends as they discuss how they search for and select literature for their State and National Champions. Guest commentary from Missouri's legendary Don Crabtree
Keeping it Fresh!	From our Friends at 4N6U.org - Sometimes, as the year extends pieces and speeches begin to feel a little stale. Keeping them exciting to the judges is sometimes about keeping them exciting to the students. These exercises are designed to limit that mid year slump. They can be applied to most public address and interp events.
Memorize Your Lines	A twelve-episode training session that provides actors/interpers with skills that blend the science of memory with the art of acting. Each video is under 10-minutes and would be great “Starters” for your speechies or drama kids who struggle with memorizing their lines.
Memorization - Learning Lines by Bruce Miller	Regardless of what techniques ultimately work for you, never forget that what the playwright has written into the script is there for a reason. Each word, each phrase, and every piece of punctuation was put there by the playwright after careful deliberation and with painstaking care. You owe it to the playwright and to yourself as an artist to respect his choices and his craft. It is very unlikely that your accidental changes will improve upon what is already there. Learn your lines and deliver them the way they were written.
Memorization APP - The Actor's Lines	($3.49) Learning lines or memorizing lines is a lot quicker with this line runner app designed by actors. Your friends and family will be happy you can memorize lines quickly on your own. Once your off book with fully memorized and learned lines, you can then speed up the pace to really test how fast you can rehearse (run those Italians). We help memorize lines for rehearsals, auditions, film scripts, plays, classes, workshops, all your acting needs or even business pitches.
Memorization Techniques - VIDEO	Shakespeare actually used this memory training technique in the Globe theatre to teach his actors how to memorize lines. It is a simple yet extremely effective technique to memorize lines. - A 5-Minute Video
Memorization Tool - Script Rehearser	Script Rehearser is a free rehearsing app for Android. Hit the ground running. Save yourself hours of time and turn up knowing your lines. Whether it’s a stage script, screenplay, speech or presentation, you can rehearse and memorize on the go in an effective and convenient way. Completely free, with no ads, no paid upgrades and no random payments - we just love to support actors.
Memorizing a Speech - 10x Faster - VIDEO	A 5-minute video to help students with memorization
Memorizing Lines - Tips for Student Actors	Getting your lines “close enough” and then making up the rest is not really an option. Fortunately, there are many methods of memorization. Here are some tips Kevin Stone for Pioneer Drama Service
Memorizing: 13 APPS every Actor Should Use	In our increasingly digital world, most of us are rarely very far from a phone or tablet. Why not use this technology to learn lines, stay organized, and book more auditions? Here are 13 apps for actors that will help you do just that!
The Basics of Oral Interpretation	From The Northern California Forensics Association (NCFA) Prepared by Kirt Shineman & Nathan Steele (NOTE – Some information may differ slightly from your state – Please review before sharing with students)

17 Comedic Monologues for Women	Too short for speech competitions, but perfect for drama classes
Acting Monologues by Backstage.com	This database contains almost 700 short classical and contemporary monologues from plays (including Shakespeare). Use the filters to find the monologues perfect for you: search by author, gender, and theme.
Acting Scenes	Extensive list of short scenes (3-5 minutes) for 2-person performance. Scripts are e-mailed once purchased - Cost per script is $1.99.
Acting Scenes Database	Database of over 700 acting scenes. Search scenes by category (comedy/drama), era, material source, geographic region, or relationship between characters. Scenes are FREE to download. By Beverly Hills Playhouse
Feminine Monologues	100+ short monologues for female-presenting students from published non-published scripts.
GL Horton - Playwright	Geralyn (aka GL) Horton. Contains more than 100 free monologues, scenes, and one-act plays. Excerpts from longer scripts are also available.
Masculine Dramatic Monologues	Short dramatic monologues for male-presenting students from The Ultimate Audition Books for Teens
Middle School Monologues	4 monologues designed for Middle Schoolers to demonstrate acting range, comedic skills, intense emotions and physical versatility.
Monologue Archive	Looking for monologues to use for auditions or class work? The Monologue Archive may have just what you're looking for and it's the perfect place for students to browse hundreds of monologues.
Monologue Blogger	Monologues for women, men, teens and kids. MB maintains thousands of free monologues, producing and publishing new material every day.
POC Monologues	Monologues specifically for Persons of Color
ProPlay	On-line, professionally produced stage plays. Browse by category or playwright. In many cases, the playwright has chosen to have the entire script posted; in all cases, substantial portions of the play may be read free-of-charge now. NOTE: The majority of these plays are published only on-line.
Sandra Perlman - Playwright	Full-text collection of plays by Sandra Perlman, an award-winning member of the Cleveland Play House Playwrights' Unit.
Script Archive by Theatre History.com	International theatre - full text of plays available online. Full-length, One-acts, 10-minute plays and Monologues are indexed by category and title.
Superhero Monologue Project	A fun project for students to create their own original monologues

4 Steps to Instant Stage Presence	Ever seen a speaker who commands the stage? Their very being demands attention, and oozes charisma, confidence and credibility. Want to know how that could be you? Follow this link to learn more.
Acting Basics by Nicholaus Garcia - VIDEOS	Drama instructor at Los Medanos College - His YouTube Channel with 28 fantastic short instructional videos perfect for drama classes or speech teams.
Breath Control Exercise	Breath control is so important for performers. Breath control affects the range, volume, and speed of speaking. Practicing skills to improve breath control technique can vastly improve your speaking abilities.
Breathing Right by JudyLee Vivier	With good breath support the voice will sound full and rich - not strident, strained, or pushed.
Diction: 9 Exercises for Every Actor	Sure, “red leather, yellow leather” and “toy boat” are crowd favorites and standbys, but sometimes you’ve gotta dig a little deeper.
Facial Expressions- Make Your Own Selfie Chart	A fun project to get students out of their comfort zone. All you need is a cell phone and a desire to take some selfies!
Enunciation - 600 Tongue Twisters	Tongue Twisters are a great way to warm up the voice, improve enunciation and get the class fired up before a tournament. With over 600 to choose AND some activities too -- your team will love this Super Mega Jumbo list of Tongue Twisters compiled by Douglas Fox and our friends at Theatrefolk.
Non-Verbal Acting - VIDEO	The art of facial expression, gestures and body language to help students elevate oral interp performances to the next level. Here's a short intro to the concept from Stella Damasus of An Actor's Playhouse.
Nonverbal Communication Exercises	Because theatre and oral interp is a visual medium and today’s students are visual learners, it is a great idea to incorporate nonverbal communication exercises into your program.
Physicalize Your Scene Work	We often spend a lot of time developing the nonphysical part of a character: character profiles, reflection, getting into the text. Sometimes student actors leave a character’s physicality to the last minute or they do not incorporate it at all. This results in some students ending up with characters that look, stand, sit, and move a lot like they do on a daily basis.
Rehearsal Techniques and Strategies	By Bert's Drama: Characterization Exercises, Voice Pacing, Eye Contact, Physical Contact, Use of Space, Establishing a Scene, Learning Lines and MORE!
Vocal Qualities for Performance - VIDEOS	22 Short Videos with challenges and assignments by Nicholaus Garcia
Vocal Warm-Ups from the National Theatre - VIDEO	11-minute video by Jeannette Nelson. Featuring exercises on breathing, resonance, projection and articulation.

Binder Techniques by Eric Mischne-VIDEO	Tips for using your black book for Prose, Poetry and POI
Binder Tech- VIDEO	By Anderson Speech and Debate
Crafting and Using the Binder	How the binder is used can enhance or cripple a performance.
Your Little Black Book and How to Use It - Part 1 - VIDEO	Tips or Prose, Poetry and POI - NOTE: Video Quality is poor, but it does have some valuable content.
Your Little Black Book and How to Use It - Part 2 - VIDEO	Tips or Prose, Poetry and POI - NOTE: Video Quality is poor, but it does have some valuable content.
Tips for Performing Poems and Stories - VIDEO	6-minute intro, perfect for your Middle School or novice Prose and Poetry competitors! Bestselling author and master storyteller Michael Rosen shares his top tips on how to bring a story to life, from making silly noises to adding amazing sound effects.

12 Character Archetypes Every Actor Should Know - VIDEO	Archetype and stereotype are sometimes confused terms. But for interpers, the differences are significant. While one can make your story stronger, the other can ruin it. Do you the difference?
99 Questions to Ask Your Character	By D. W. Gregory -- Aimed at helping students create backstories for the character the create. If you get stuck or you think something doesn’t apply, go on to the next question. A great way to help your interpers add some depth to their performances.
Building a Character Worksheet	Based on Uta Hagen's Nine Questions. Whenever an actor takes up a new character, his/her job is to understand the character. The literature/script will often provide most of the details. BUT for other details, the actor will have to invent. Help your students prepare for their performances using Uta Hagen’s 9 Questions (From her book Respect for Acting)
Character Exploration: The Mad Hatter - VIDEO	Complete On-Line Lesson - Lesson objective: To explore the characterization and language of the Mad Hatter in Alice and Wonderland by creating an invitation to the Mad Hatters iconic tea party.
Character Interpretation: The Witches of Macbeth - VIDEO	Complete On-Line Lesson - Learning Objective: To explore the opening scene of Macbeth, thinking specifically about how the witches can be interpreted and characterized.
Comedic Character Archetypes - Find the Funny	Being funny is hard, and it’s particularly hard in the interpretation events (HI – Humorous Duo). Done well, funny characters will find a permanent home in your judges’ hearts. Done badly, they’ll draw attention away from the narrative. Create a character who is funny, then you don’t have to worry about being funny. . . . Where to start? Find the Funny with these comedic archetypes.
Developing Characters in Oral Interp - VIDEO	Pitfalls and Considerations
Developing Characters	Uses the "Objective, Obstacle, Beat, Tactic and Stakes" Method. The next step in helping students flesh out and create complex characters for all interp events.
Developing Your Character’s Physicality from Head to Toe	No matter whether you are performing a mime piece, tableau, monologue, or scene, your physicality is part of your “actor’s toolkit.” Physicality, along with your voice and imagination, helps you to tell a story. As an actor, it is important to develop your character’s physicality so that it is different from your own.
Guide for Oral Interpretation	Learn how to select appropriate, quality material and how to analyze that material.
Someone Is Listening by Bruce Miller	An exercise to help actors remember other characters when performing monologues.

10 Top Ted Talks - VIDEOS	These 10 Ted talks will make your heart ache in the best of ways. Each is a wonderful reminder of the beautiful poignancy of life.
American Rhetoric	Database of 5000+ full text, audio and video versions of speeches.
Declamation Starter Kit by NSDA	This .PDF guide includes NSDA rules, how to pick a selection, resources, cutting suggestions, delivery tips and examples.
Speaking While Female - Speech Bank	Full transcripts of speeches by women across time and around the world, from antiquity to the present. Historically women have not been silent, but their words have scarcely been noted in the history books. What they said was seldom valued, recorded, or remembered. Celebrates speeches by women of different backgrounds and beliefs.

Dramatic Interp - NSDA 2023 National Champion - VIDEO	Kylan William of Comeaux High School, Lafayette LA, performing Miseducated by Brandon Fleming -- Coached by Jacob Simon
DI/HI/DUO: Interpretation of Literature - Bringing Words to Life	NSDA's textbook guide to the main interp events
DUO Interp - NSDA 2023 4th Palce - VIDEO	Adrianna Rodriguez and CJ Heiskell of Harlingen South High School, TX performing Ben is Back by Peter Hedges -- Coached by John Harper Reynolds and Eddy Cavazos
Secrets to Success in DUO Interp - VIDEO	Video by Jamelle McConnell-Brown of Sumner Academy, Kansas City, KS
Humorous Interp - NSDA 2019 Finalist - VIDEO	Taylor Headrick from Highland High School, Ohio performs Killer Halloween by Dennis Snee – Coached by Suzette Burtoft
HI/DUO: How to Act Comedy	A How-To Guide for Actors by Luke McMahon. Acting comedy is all about timing. Understanding the punctuation and intention of the lines is absolutely essential. Being confident to make big choices that might seem out of the ordinary but are fully grounded in the text and the characters, is the genesis of all comedic acting.
Popping and Morphing Tips - VIDEO	From our friends at 3P (https://www.3pspeech.com/)

21 Questions to Help Students Think Critically About News	How do we find real truth, real facts in a new era of Internet hoaxes, fake news stories and biased political sources who promote their own "alternative facts"? - Teaching critical thinking is more important than ever before. This document will help you and your students navigate the murky waters of the News
6 Coaching Ideas for Extemp Practice	Tired of Extemp Practice being just prepare, speak, critique? Use these ideas to get your entire extemp group involved and polishing specific skills!
Extemp Drills and Skills	Presented for NSDA by Ethan Reeves – Developer of Extemp Genie
Extemp Drills for Practice	Fluency/Clarity and Content are the most important expectations of judges when it comes Extemp. But most beginning extempers focus solely on the content of their speeches. That’s were drills come in – to develop the speaking skills that will launch their content into the stratosphere. Here are 21 drills you can start using today!
Extemp Quotes	Few things contribute more to an extemp speech than a well-placed quote. Adding a meaningful quotation can help enhance an otherwise bland or monotonous speech in many ways. It can add some much-needed humor, make a powerful statement, provide an easy transition, or simply give your statements a little more ethos. Here is a list of a few great quotations that can enhance your speech and a short analysis of possible uses for them.
Extemp Speech Structure and On-Line News Sources	According to Award Winning Extemper, Cory Alderdice, “Extemporaneous speaking is perhaps the most demanding of all forensics activities. It requires the research skills of a policy debater, the theory of a Lincoln-Douglas debater, and the speaking of a polished orator.” All good extemp speeches start with a basic structure . . .
Extemper's Bible	Provides free extemp resources. Includes topic briefings, performance tips and more.
Extemporaneous Speaking with Dr. Megan Hagaman (Video)	Dr. Hagaman (Salina South HS, Kansas) has coached numerous state champions and national circuit finalists. In this video she breaks down how to approach extemporaneous speaking with students for the first time, including specific elements of speech organization, preparation, and performance.
Fact Check.org	Monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.
Filing Software - Extemp Genie	Paid Resource: At the push of a button, Extemp Genie downloads thousands of articles from top news sources, formats them, and stores them on your disk drive for offline viewing and searching. Cost is $24.99 per student
Filing Software - Prepd	Paid Resource: Prepd’s News Feed automatically retrieves 150,000+ articles from over 50 different news sources. Since articles in the News Feed can then be saved to any Prepd application, the News Feed helps teams quickly file and fills research gaps. It also helps level the playing field, so smaller extemp clubs can compete against larger programs.
Filing Tips	By Anne Smith - Anne Smith highlights five tips to become better at filing.
How We Can Protect Truth in the Age of Misinformation by Sinan Aral	Fake news can sway elections, tank economies and sow discord in everyday life. Data scientist Sinan Aral demystifies how and why it spreads so quickly -- citing one of the largest studies on misinformation -- and identifies five strategies to help us unweave the tangled web between true and false.
News Literacy Project	A nonpartisan national education nonprofit, provides programs and resources for educators and the public to teach, learn and share the abilities needed to be smart, active consumers of news and information and equal and engaged participants in a democracy.
On-Line Research Sources	An extensive list of national, regional and international news sources for Extemp Research - Clickable hyperlinks!
Podcast - Civics 101	Civics 101 is the podcast refresher course on the basics of how our democracy works.
Podcast - Deep Dish on Global Affairs	By the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Each week, host Brian Hanson talks with international thought leaders, journalists, and other experts to go beyond the headlines on critical global issues and US foreign policy.
Podcast - NPR Politics	Every weekday, NPR's best political reporters are there to explain the big news coming out of Washington and the campaign trail. They don't just tell you what happened. They tell you why it matters. Every afternoon.
Podcast - The Daily by the New York Times	This is how the news should sound. Twenty minutes a day, five days a week, hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by New York Times journalism.
Podcast - The Extemper's Bible	With interviews, the news, extemp strategy, and more, the Extemper's Bible is the desperately needed podcast for the extemper community.
Podcast - The Inside Story by Al Jazeera	Smart, timely, and quick analysis from Brookings experts on breaking news and changing policies. In under ten minutes, learn not only what happened, but why, and how to make sense of it.
Podcast - The Intelligence by Economist Radio	A current-affairs podcast, published every weekday by Economist Radio, that provides a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.
Podcast - The Journal by the Wall Street Journal	The most important stories, explained through the lens of business. A podcast about money, business and power. Hosted by Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson. The Journal is a co-production from Gimlet Media and The Wall Street Journal.
Podcast - Wordly by Vox	A weekly international podcast highlighting the one thing you need to understand to make sense of the world around you.
Understanding Media Bias	Knowing the political bias of media outlets allows our debate students and speakers to consume a balanced news diet and avoid manipulation and fake news. It’s imperative that we teach our students to recognize slanted news. Slanted news is biased in a particular direction. It emphasizes certain information, and omits other information that might provide a more balanced or complex perspective. It serves the purpose of trying to convince the reader or listener of a particular point of view, rather than simply informing the reader or listener.
International Extemp - NSDA 2023 - 4th Place	TOPIC: Is the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) a safe haven for environmental accountability? Presented by Gabriel Bo of Plano West Senior High School, TX.
International Extemp - NSDA 2023 - 4th Place	TOPIC: Is the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) a safe haven for environmental accountability? Presented by Gabriel Bo of Plano West Senior High School, TX.

NSDA's Impromptu Starter Kit	All you need to get started!
Impromptu Speaking - 2019 NSDA Final Round - VIDEO	Watching quality Impromptu Speeches can inspire you to raise the bar on your own speeches. Try outlining as you listen - Structure is everything!
Practicing Impromptu – Drills and Advice from Anna Cey	Practice makes progress!

Advanced Improv Games	9 Games designed to challenge even the elite! -- Compliments of Joe Murphy, Drama Teacher at Affton High School St. Louis Missouri
Beginning and Intermediate Improv Games	Includes 5 Introductory Games; 8 Scene Games and 5 Guessing Games -- Compliments of Joe Murphy, Drama Teacher at Affton High School St. Louis Missouri
Competitive Improv Games	Many challenging improv games that are competitive in nature. They are judged usually by a moderator, host, or even the audience. These types of games generally put a lot of restrictions on the performers, resulting in a great deal of fun for the viewers. This link describes 3 such games: The Question Game, Alphabet and World's Worst.
Improv Encyclopedia	The largest collection or resources for improvization theater on the web. Here you will find tons of stuff related to improvization theatre, also known as 'improv' or 'impro'.
Improv Games for Large Groups	15 Large Group Improv Games for Team Building
Improv Games for Medium and Large Groups	Playing improv games is a common method of warming up for actors. They help achieve focus, strengthen connections among actors, and allow them to practice performance skills.
No Joke Zone Poster	Everyone loves Improv Games, but they can get out of hand. Joan Schubin, middle school theatre teacher from NJ and her students compiled a "NO JOKE" list that should be avoided for the benefit of everyone.
Non-Traditional Event Ideas for Speech/Forensics	15+ activities
Online Improv / Warm-Up / Community-Building Games & Exercises	A spreadsheet with over 60 ideas for activities that work for in-person or distance learning
The Ultimate Guide to Improv: 101 Improv Tips	Bookmark this page to reference it again and again. Regardless of your experience level, you'll love this unique resource. These ideas come from such geniuses as Keith Johnstone, Viola Spolin, Del Close and many others.

5 Body Language Techniques of Public Speaking	5 key areas in which your physical expressiveness can take your own talks from mundane to memorable. Learn them if you want to practice powerful body language techniques for your own public speaking.
Emoting and Eloquence	A Lecture on Oratory SWAG by Jacoby Cochran. Jacoby Cochran is an award-winning writer, professor, and master storyteller from the Southside of Chicago. He currently hosts 'The Moth Live' and 'Karaoke Storytellers,' a show blending live music and true stories to drive connections around the city. On the side, he is a communications instructor with City Colleges and DePaul University, hosts elaborate cooking events, and coaches public speaking and storytelling workshops across the nation.
NSDA National Champion 2023 - Original Oratory - VIDEO	The Tragic School Bus performed by Esther Oyetunji of American Heritage Broward High School, FL. Coached by Ryan Levesque, Joele Denis and Spencer Orlowski
Optimist International Oratorical Contest	The Optimist Oratorical Contest gives youngsters the chance to speak to the world. More than $150,000 in college scholarships funded by the Optimist International Foundations is awarded annually from this program.
Original Oratory - A Comprehensive Look	Oratory is the crown jewel of high school public speaking. But it is so much more than memorizing your persuasive English essay. Take a deep dive into the “HOW TO” of Original Oratory with Brian Gibson in his training manual
Original Oratory - A Guide	A perfect 2-page overview - Compiled by Ray Chao (Arcadia HS) with Tony Figliola (Holy Ghost Prep, PA and Jamaka Young (Apple Valley HS, MN)
Original Oratory - Resources compiled by Coach Jordan Hart	Just one facet of the AMAZING website created by Coach Jordan Hart of Jefferson City High School, MO
Original Oratory by Joe Wycoff - VIDEO	Includes a sample OO from the 2007 NSDA (formerly NFL) Final Round, presented by Alusheun Olupitan, “To Tolerate or Not to Tolerate”
ProCon.org - Topic Ideas and Research Links	ProCon provides professionally-researched information on more than 50 issues. From gun control and death penalty to illegal immigration and alternative energy, these FREE and unbiased resources will help your students learn new facts, think critically about important issues, and strengthen their minds and opinions.
The Art of Original Oratory by Ashley Mack	Original Oratory is so much more than a persuasive paper written in for an English Class . . .
The Art of Public Speaking - 5 Ted Talks	Learning about public speaking from those who redefined the skill, here are the best TED Talks on public speaking.
The Art of Public Speaking - 5 Ted Talks	Learning about public speaking from those who redefined the skill, here are the best TED Talks on public speaking.

Brave New Voices - Youth Speaks	Brave New Voices is the only festival of its kind. Every year, over 500 young poets and the nation's leading artists convene in a different U.S. city for four days of arts education, performance and civic engagement. The festival consists of workshops, showcases, service learning and slam competition.
Launching Original Spoken Word Poetry in your Classroom	A Resource Packet from Can You Hear Me Now? - Canada
NSDA - Getting Started with Original Spoken Word Poetry	A Supplemental Event. Some states also offer this event; rules and guidelines vary.

Figure of Speech – Dedicated to the Impact of Forensics	Beginning in 2019, Figure of Speech Podcast interviews a variety of forensic community members. Each episode focuses on the impact that speech and debate has made in the lives of those who have continue to speak their voices.
One Clap Speech and Debate Podcast	The One Clap Speech and Debate Podcast is a resource for Speech and Debate coaches and competitors. One Clap examines best practices to help competitors succeed and coaches grow programs. We interview coaches and competitors about the transformative power of Speech and Debate. Lyle Wiley, an English teacher, Journalism/Yearbook teacher, and Speech and Debate Coach in small-town Wyoming, hosts the show.
Playing On Air	Short plays are one of playwrights’ favorite forms: punchy, challenging and dramatically lean. Yet—outside of some theater festivals—they’re rarely professionally performed. Playing on Air is a radio program and podcast, dedicated to sharing great short theater with the public. With short plays written by some of the country’s top playwrights, cast with celebrated actors, and led by award-winning directors, Playing on Air presents the best of modern theater.
The Forensics Experience	A podcast about Speech and Debate that interviews the world's most influential coaches, students and alumni in the activity and gets their insight on topics from simply how to get better to the conversations we should have had about this community YEARS ago! New Episodes Every Wednesday!

5 Tips for Poetry Performance - VIDEO	Doing Poetry Right with Renee M. LaTulippe
Button Poetry Playlist - VIDEOS	Introduce your students to the art of performance poetry with Button Poetry’s Classroom-Friendly Poems This Playlist by Button Poetry contains 62 separate videos that will get your team excited about POETRY!
Documentary Poetry (aka Docupoetry)	Documentary Poetry integrates primary sources to create something new, or integrating source excerpts with original poetry. Its purpose is to bear witness/raise awareness/incite social change, reflecting the role of poet as engaged citizen, journalist, historian, witness, and advocate
Get Lit Virtual Anthology	Slam Poetry is the voice of America! And the Get Lit Virtual Anthology was launched in 2021 to spark the passion for poetry in all Americans. Get Lit is a Los Angeles based arts education non-profit founded in 2006 by Diane Luby Lane to increase literacy, empower youth, and inspire communities through poetry. Poets respond to where we are now as a society, writing about cultural trends, issues, and identities. Click on the “TAKE A TOUR” Tab for an introduction to the NEW for 2021 Slam Poetry Anthology.
Illinois 2020 State Champton - Poetry Interp	"Fighting to Be Okay" performed by Delaney Holliday of Belleville West High School. Coached by Adam Jenkins, Russ Reidelberger and Julie Schloesser - Performance begins at 3:17
NSDA 2019 National Champion - Poetry Interp	"Black Faith" performed by Joshua Moton of Comeaux High School, LA. Coached by Jacob Simon
Poetry Out Loud	Poetry Out Loud encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic competition for high school students across the country. Since the program began in 2005, more than 17,000 schools in the US have participated in Poetry Out Loud. A total of $50,000 in awards and school/organizational stipends will be given at the Poetry Out Loud National Finals.
Poetry Foundation	Established in 2003, the Poetry Foundation provides access to over 47,000 poems.
Split This Rock - Poetry Database	A searchable database of over 300 poems by contemporary socially engaged poets. Split This Rock explores and celebrates the many ways that poetry can act as an agent for change: reaching across differences, considering personal and social responsibility, asserting the centrality of the right to free speech, bearing witness to the diversity and complexity of human experience through language, imagining a better world.
Tips on Stage Performance by Sarah Kay - VIDEO	There are a number of myths surrounding public performance that spoken-word poet and co-founder of Project Voice Sarah Kay helps to dispel. Perhaps the chief myth is that you can't both be nervous and enjoy the experience of public speaking. In reality, being nervous is an inevitable part of the experience, but understanding why the audience came to see you — they just want to have fun — can help conquer your fear. Kay has plenty of tips and tricks that will make you feel more comfortable on stage and in the process of preparing your performance or speech.

4 Sample Programs	Star Gazers, Tecnho-POI and Girl Games, compliments of Coach Dr. Todd T. Holm. Dr. Holm holds a PhD in Organizational Communication & Instructional Communication from The Ohio University in Athens, OH. He taught communication courses and coached speech and debate teams at several colleges and universities for 25 years.
Creating a Library for POI - Webinar	Presented by Abbie Syrek, Assistant Dean of the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media at the University of Nebraska, Omaha
Getting Started Guide	Using selections from Prose, Poetry, and Drama, students create a ten-minute performance around a central theme. Program Oral Interpretation (POI) is designed to test a student’s ability to intersplice multiple types of literature into a single, cohesive performance. A manuscript is required and may be used as a prop within the performance if the performer maintains control of the manuscript at all times. Performances can also include an introduction written by the student to contextualize the performance and state the title and the author of each selection.
Introduction to POI - Webinar	Presented by Kenny Lau, 2015 AFA Collegiate POI Champion
NSDA 2019 National Champion - POI	"Debate Like a Girl" performed by Ella Schnake of Raymore Peculiar High School, MO. Coached by Todd Schnake.
NSDA 2023 National Champion - POI	"Can You Hear the Screams Now?" performed by Isabella Royer of San Angelo Central High School, TX. Coached by Coby Evers. A powerful performance about gun violence in America.
Relevant Resources - POI	Just one facet of the AMAZING website created by Coach Jordan Hart of Jefferson City High School, MO

Basics of Prose Interp - VIDEO	Video by Coach Steve Barth of Marist High School, OR -- (NOTE: Timing may be different depending on the state in which you compete)
NSDA 2019 National Champion - Prose	"A Walk to Remember" performed by Rashon Leday of Comeaux High School, LA. Coached by Jacob Simon
NSDA 2022 6th Place - Prose	"Monday Nights with Matt and Mark" performed by Landon Hudson of Blue Springs High School, MO. Coached by Lisa Lowman
Prose Starter Kit	An NSDA Resource that covers Event Rules, Choosing a Piece, Cutting, Terminology and Delivery and Practice Tips.

3P Publishing	What if you could find scripts that were creative, original, and up-to-date in their writing style and delivery options? That's right - subject matters that emphasize pushing limits, dramatic build, and character development.
Always Writing 4 U	Owned by author and coach Kristy Thomas - With original writing services available, Always Writing R U also has a large selection of pre-written selections for you to choose from.
Broadway Play Publishing, Inc.	Specializes in full-length, contemporary American plays,plus some musicals and one-act plays. They also handle the licensing of production rights to these plays. Some plays are on-line and free to download; others must be ordered through the publisher.
Brooklyn Publishers	Brooklyn Publishers has been a strong source of plays for high school, middle school, and youth theatre for over two decades. Our reputation for powerful, well-written, yet easy-to-produce stage plays has grown each year. In addition to our quality full length and one act plays, we offer the largest selection of ten minute plays on the market. Our plays have been recognized for their dynamic plot twists, multi-dimensional characters, and overall strong writing resulting in countless awards.
Button Poetry	Looking for the freshest poetry pieces for this year's Speech competitions? We highly recommend Button Poetry. They've been promoting, producing and publishing performance poetry since 2011. How's that for alliteration! grin
Concord Theatricals (formerly Samuel French, Inc.)	Comprising the catalogs of R&H Theatricals, Samuel French, Tams-Witmark and The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, plus dozens of new signings each year.
Dramatic Publishing	A major publisher of classic and contemporary scripts.
Eldridge Publishers	Eldridge Publishing, a leading play publisher since 1906, offers hundreds of full-length plays, one-acts, melodramas, holiday and religious plays, children's theatre plays and musicals of all kinds.
Green Room Press (handling selections by Creative Ideas/Consortium Publishing)	Green Room Press is excited to announce the addition of the Creative Ideas by Consortium Publishing's plays to our online catalogue. All of your favorites from Ken Bradbury and Robert L. Crowe (and more!) are now available.
Heuer Publishing	Heuer Publishing was established in 1928 and today is one of the oldest publishing houses serving the educational and community theatre markets.
Josef Weinberger Plays	Informational international theatre site (Frankfurt, Vienna, and London) that provides a synopsis of plays and musicals. Source information provided, but no ordering options.
Mushroom Cloud Press	For over 15 years, Mushroom Cloud Press has published tournament-winning humorous, dramatic, and duo scripts for speech and debate competitions. Endorsed by coaches and students across the country, our pieces have been crafted specifically for the speech and debate audience, and have won many state and national tournaments.
Next Stage Press	A small publisher of plays that would otherwise be overlooked by the larger publishing houses. Perfect for younger competitors
New Play Exchange	The world's largest digital library of scripts by living writers. - A small yearly subscription fee, but well worth the money. 58,000+ scripts currently available.
Off the Wall Plays	An online play publishing house. We sell and license play scripts for performance by both community theatre groups, amdram as well as professional theatre. We aim to keep our play prices affordable and we give you the option of reading through a generous selection of the script before you buy it, so you know what you are getting.
Pioneer Drama Service	One of the largest full-service play publishing and licensing companies operating in the United States
Playscripts, Inc.	An independent publisher of new plays, established in 1998. (2,309 plays by 1,675 authors). Read lengthy script samples for free, then purchase online.
Script City	Screenplays for educational purchases. No rights are given or implied
Scriptfly.com	Movie and TV screenplays available for purchase.
Simply Scripts	Links to hundreds of free, downloadable Scripts, Movie Scripts, Screenplays, and Transcripts of Current, Classic and maybe a few Soon-to-be-Released Movies, Television, Anime, and Radio Shows.
Speech Geek	A marketplace for all things "INTERP" Vendors include The Monologue Project, Drama Tree Press in addition to materials by Speech Geek
Stage Partners	Founded in 2015 by Jason Pizzarello and Morgan Gould, two internationally-produced playwrights who wanted to serve young artists and audiences around the globe. Read the play. THE WHOLE PLAY. FOR FREE
Stage Plays.com	Based in the UK and the USA, they have been serving the online theatre community since the last century.
The Interp Store	Finding the perfect selection to perform can be difficult. The Interp Store is ready to make that daunting task easier for you! Each Forensics Anthology includes: Humorous Interpretation, Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation, Dramatic Interpretation, and Duo Interpretation. The Interp Store also sells drama games, theatre related greeting cards and beautifully designed drama posters.
Tibetan Treefrog Publishing	Tibetan Treefrog Publishing was created to specifically produce selections for forensic competition. The editions can contain original Prose, Poetry, Humorous/Dramatic pieces, Duets and even ODecs written by our staff. Each edition contains between five to seven pieces and is published two times per year.
Write Bloody Publishing (Poetry)	A small press with a snappy look, dedicated to quality literature. Since 2004 they have launched 135 titles and 85 ebooks.
Uproar Theatrics	Plays and Musicals - Read the entire scripts online . . .

7 Easy Steps to Writing a Radio Ad	There is no formula for writing a 30-second radio ad. There is no one “right” way. Here is a bare bones, 7-step structure that will enable you write a serviceable radio commercial quickly…assuming you have adequate knowledge of the product or service being advertised.
BBC News - Script Writing Tips and Real Examples	A few script-writing tips and examples of real BBC scripts which teachers might find use to models for writing TV and radio news.
How To Read The News Like A Professional News Anchor	Prepared by the New York Film Academy
How to Write Broadcast News Stories	Writing for radio requires a different set of skills than writing text. Clear and condensed writing is key. After all, a radio listener or TV viewer can't go back and re-read a sentence.
How to Write Newscasts for Radio	A radio newscast must be clear, concise and provide all basic facts to inform listeners about recent events. Script writers must conduct research on each news item or story to ensure accuracy and that both sides of the story are reflected. Basic rules of journalism apply, but specific guidelines must be followed for radio broadcasts. Writers must be aware of time constraints, clarity of statements and adherence to facts.
Lead-ins for News Stories - 5 Examples	Lead-ins can make or break your story. the most important feature of an audio story. A good Lead-in hooks your audience and keeps them engaged. This site provides 5 different lead-in types and why they work.
Newswriting for Radio	An online tutorial on the craft of radio journalism, with particular attention to the writing of news scripts. Since 1996, newscript.com has been providing creative suggestions and ideas to radio news reporters, writers and anchors, as well as to broadcast journalism students around the world.
Template for Radio Broadcasting News Story	A short template for a 30-second news story with corresponding example
Top 10 Historic Radio Broadcasts	A short template for a 30-second news story with corresponding example
What is Radio Broadcasting?	A .pdf file of general guidelines and coaching tips for this IE event
Writing Broadcast News: A Professional Handbook	A 32-page handbook with all the basics by Mervin Block

Aaron Shepard - Reader’s Theater Editions	Free scripts for reader’s theater (or RT) adapted from stories written by Aaron Shepard and others—mostly humor, fantasy, and world tales from a variety of cultures. A full range of reading levels is included, with scripts aimed mostly at ages 8–15. The scripts may be freely copied, shared, and performed for any noncommercial purpose
Radio Suspense Theatre Scripts	Scroll to the bottom of this page to find links to downloadable perusal copies of the scripts for this series. Each play in the series features two original mysteries inspired by the radio dramas of the era. These family-friendly plays are appropriate for audiences of all ages. Since much of the play is performed from the scripts, they are great training grounds for newbies to the theatre.
Reader’s Theater Tips	From Aaron Shepard - an introduction to reader’s theater, with advice on scripting, staging, and dramatic reading. It draws on my five years of professional experience in reader’s theater as a performer and director, as well as many more years of scripting, leading workshops, and hosting the most popular reader’s theater destination on the Web.
Short Reader's Theater Scripts for Children	Dr. Chase Young has put together an extensive collection of short Reader’s Theatre Scripts perfect for younger audiences or fun in-class activities for your students – And the best part is they are all FREE!
The Generic Radio Workshop - Vintage Radio Script Library	Scripts to over 175 vintage radio plays and sketches from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. If you want to do a topic on radio plays in your drama classroom, this is the website for you.

Recruitment Ideas	From Social Media to "old-school" phone calls, boost your numbers with these ideas!
Take Your Story to the Stage - NSDA VIDEO	Take your story to the stage! This short, inspirational video by the NSDA makes a great tool for speech team recruitment.
Tips for Making your Speech Team a School ‘Family’	Tons of ideas to build a close-knit team where everyone feels valued and welcomed.
Why Does Speech Matter? - VIDEO	A great 5-minute video from the mouths of students!

Check List for a Tournament "Go-Bag"	Follow these suggestions and always be prepared when traveling to a tournament
How Speech Tournaments Work for Novices - VIDEO	Prepared by Coach Steve Barth of Marist High School. Practices may vary slightly, but this is a GREAT overview for 1st time competitors!
Tournament Hosting Ideas	2 Great Ideas for hosting your tournament
Tournament Safety Considerations	Are you prepared for an Active Shooter Lock Down and/or – A “Run, Hide, Fight” situation during a weekend tournament? - These considerations are proposed by Cindi Timmons, TX

Channel #1: Intelligence Squared	Intelligence Squared brings together experts to debate unabashedly controversial subjects. From geopolitical issues like Brexit and Saudi Arabian human rights to cultural concerns like identity politics and veganism, viewers watch advocates attempt to persuade discerning audiences. Debaters can benefit from seeing how real-life persuaders employ rhetoric and marshal evidence.
Channel #2: Great Big Story	Great Big Story, which hasn't posted new videos in a few years, is a terrific resource for Impromptu, Informative, and Oratory. It describes compelling stories about how useful things were invented, little known-facts about our planet, and human interest narratives about interesting people. Viewers can use these stories, and study how the channel conveys them, to improve their own storytelling.
Channel #3: Simple History	Simple History conveys dry-on-paper anecdotes from history through animation. Most of their videos, though not all, deal with military history. Some of their older playlists detail wonders of the world, geography, and human achievements. Like Great Big Story, this information is useful for public address and limited preparation categories. The analysis of military strategy may benefit debaters describing conflict-related resolutions.
Channel #4: School of Life	School of Life offers an accessible, eclectic blend of videos on sociology, art, architecture, literature, philosophy, self-help, and political theory. The videos are well-animated, well-researched, and near-universally applicable to public address categories. The 2017 and 2018 national champions in Expository, for instance, got the ideas for their speeches from School of Life videos. All competitors may benefit from the channel's advice on handling competitive anxiety and keeping successes and failures in perspective.
Channel #5: Overly Sarcastic Productions	Overly Sarcastic Productions is a fun animated series summarizing classic myths, legends, literature, and pop culture tropes. Some students are well-versed in academic subjects but don't have the time to be exposed to some important parts of pop culture. This channel does the best job of any on YouTube at catching young viewers up to speed on media cliches and making older, denser texts more exciting and understandable.

Free Resources

1st Steps: Preparing a Selection

Acting Scenes and Short Monologues

Back to the Basics

Binder Events

Character Development

Declamation

Dramatic, Humorous, and Duo Interp

Extemp

Impromptu Speaking

Improv Activities

Original Oratory

Original Spoken Word Poetry

Podcasts of Note

Poetry Interpretation

Program of Oral Interpretation (POI)

Prose Interpretation

Publishing Companies

Radio Broadcasting

Reader's Theater

Recruitment

Tournament Preparation

YouTube Channels for Speech Students

Contact

Legal and Ordering Documents