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Speech New 2019-2020

Speech News:  2019-2020

Regional One-Act Play

For the eighth consecutive time, the Okarche Speech Team has advanced to the state one-act pay contest.  This year’s production of “The Insanity of Mary Girard” qualified for the state competition by placing at one of three regional competitions held earlier in October.  Okarche placed third at the Alva region behind first-place Alva and second-place Okeene.  Two OHS actresses also received all-regional cast honors:  Carsyn Taylor and Austin Riley.

            The OHS drama is based on the true story of Mary Girard, a woman who was placed in a mental institution by her husband back in the 1790’s.  Mary is visited by six “furies,” who help her trace the events leading to her confinement and show her the future. 

            The cast includes Carsyn Taylor as Mary Girard; Mikaila Kraus, Jacilyn Pannell, Kenzie Beard, Marley Hill, Emily Neuenschwander, and Mackenzie Stewart as the Furies; Matt Carney as the warder and Stephen Girard; Chloe Meacham as Mrs. Lum, Mary’s mother; Trenton Niederer as Mr. Phillips; Riley Austin as Polly Kenton; Kylie Bailey as Mrs. Hatcher; and Riley Black, Tori Spomer, and Emma Stover as phantoms.

            The running crew includes Grace Krittenbrink and Lyric Hickok-stage managers; Kaylea Steelman, Darren Rayburn, and Michael Dunkin-lighting technicians; and Derek Mueggenborg and Sara Leck-sound technicians.

            OHS will perform in the state finals at 3:50 P.M. on Saturday, October 26, at Mustang High School.

Okarche at Okarche

The Okarche Speech Tournament played host to twelve schools and qualified five events of their own during the 2019 Warrior Classic Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament.  The contest, held November 1 and 2 on the OHS campus, included contestants from Bethany, Harding Fine Arts Academy, and Marlow in class 4A; Arnett, Cherokee, Crescent, Hennessey, Okeene, Ringling, Shattuck, and Temple in class 3A; and Weatherford in the novice divison.

Four Okarche seniors and one sophomore placed in the competition.  Carsyn Taylor was third in monologue, Mikaila Kraus placed third in poetry, Chloe Meacham was tournament runner-up in dramatic interp, and Matt Carney was third in domestic extemp.  Sophomore Emily Neuenschwander was tournament champion in prose.Mackenzie Stewart, another sophomore, was a finalist in foreign extemp; and Riley Black and Sara Leck, two freshmen, competed in the novice division in prose.

The OHS Speech team will next compete in the Marlow competition on November 23.  The team members are also currently working on a Christmas play for mid-December.

Okarche at Marlow

A small group of Okarche Speech Team members traveled to Marlow High School for the annual M.H.S. Speech Tournament and came home with two first-place finishes and one second.  The team took seven events, and all seven advanced to the final rounds. 

          Carsyn Taylor placed first in poetry, sweeping the first-place ballots.  Mikaila Kraus was tournament champion in humorous interp, and the team of Emily Neuenschwander and Emma Stover brought home the runner-up trophies in humorous duet.

          Matt Carney was a two-event finalist;  Carney competed in the final rounds in both foreign extemporaneous speaking and poetry.  Grace Krittenbrink was a finalist in domestic extemporaneous speaking, and Chloe Meacham was a finalist in monologue.

          The OHS Speech Team is currently working on a Christmas play, “Junie B. Jones in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells,” for a mid-December performance.  The team will resume tournament competition in January.

Okarche at Duncan and Crescent

Members of the Okarche High School Speech Team had a successful January, bringing home school awards from the two tournaments they attended. On Saturday, January 18, three members competed in the Duncan Invitational Tournament.  Jacilyn Pannell was tournament champion in monologue, McKenzie Stewart was champion in standard oratory, and Kylie Bailey brought home the first-place medal in prose.  In addition to all three winning their events, the students also amassed enough points to bring home the third-place sweepstakes plaque in class 3A. 

          On Saturday, January 25, nine students competed in the Crescent Invitational Tournament.  Carsyn Taylor was first in dramatic interp, Chloe Meacham was first in monologue, Mikaila Kraus was second in original oratory, and Grace Krittenbrink brought home two medals:  first in poetry and third in domestic extemp.  Emily Neuenschwander was tournament champion in humorous duet, and fellow sophomore Kaylea Steelman was second in standard oratory.  Three freshmen also placed in the competition.  Sara Leck was first in standard oratory and third in prose and Riley Black was second in prose and teamed with Kylie Bailey to place first in dramatic duet.

          The speech team will next compete at SWOSU on February 8

SWOSU results

          The Okarche Speech Team competed in the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Invitational Speech Tournament and brought home seven individual trophies and the class 3A sweepstakes trophy.

          Senior Matt Carney was the tournament runner-up in domestic extemp.  He was also a finalist in poetry and monologue.  Fellow senior Riley Austin was also a finalist in poetry. 

          Sophomore McKenzie Stewart received all three first-place ballots to win original oratory, and sophomores Kenzie Beard and Marley Hill were second in humorous duet. 

          Two freshmen brought home individuals awards also.  Riley Black claimed the first-place trophy in dramatic interp and the third-place trophy in standard oratory.  Emma Stover was the tournament runner-up in standard.

          The OHS Speech Team will compete next at Hennessey High School on February 29.

 

Okarche at Hennessey

            The Okarche High School Speech Team finished qualifying competition with a win at the Hennessey Invitational Speech and Debate Tournament.  OHS’s ten competitiors amassed enough to bring home the first-place team trophy in class 3A with Cherokee taking second and Okeene placing third.

            Seniors Chloe Meacham and Carsyn Taylor were tournament champions in dramatic duet. Austin Riley, another senior, was 2nd in humorous interp and 3rd in poetry.  Three other seniors brought home awards:  Matt Carney-3rd in domestic extemp, 3rd in monologue, and a finalist in poetry; Mikaila Kraus-2nd in monologue and 3rd in dramatic duet with her partner Jacilyn Pannell.  Pannell was also a finalist in poetry.

            Sophomore McKenzie Stewart was tournament champion in prose, Marley Hill was a finalist in standard oratory, and Kaylea Steelman competed in prose.

            Freshman Kylie Bailey was tournament champion in standard oratory.

            The OHS Speech Team will begin working on their events for regional competition at SWOSU on March 27 and 28.