Group Mime - "Cleaning Concerto" featuring Nick Bakeberg and Micah Broers
Choral Reading - "The ABC's of Speech" featuring Megan Brennan, Aiden Pratt, Maggie Wright, Harper Hadrava, Keylee Krohn, Nancy Lundula, Ella Rutledge, Candice Kneip, Sarah Tilberg, Marie McIntyre, and Hailey Hansen
Musical Theater - "A Very Potter Musical" featuring Cory Johnson, Nancy Lundula, Ethan Hargens, Nick Bakeberg, and Connor Brennan
Readers Theater - "The Committee" featuring Emily Cargin, Kylie Koopmans, Pieper Ohm, Kalli Garnatz, and Danni Renner
Ensemble Actitng - "Career Match" featuring Aiden Pratt and Micah Broers
Group Improv - Sarah Tilberg and Cory Johnson
Group Improv - Owen Clarey, Connor Brennan, and Joseph Lynn
Group Improv - Parker Keunen and Addy Hodgson
Short Film - "The Bench" featuring Delaney Dirksen, Izzy Tardive, Ella Lang, and Olivia Brown
Radio Broadcasting - "Murder Shows and Comfy Clothes" featuring Keylee Krohn, Harper Hadrava, Britt Hessenius, and Calista Russo
Radio Broadcasting - "Cloning" featuring Maria Probst, Samantha Batiste, and Alyvia VanVoorst
Short Film - "The Office of Fear" featuring Lizzy Breuer, Emily Cargin, Bailee DeGroat, Hailey Hansen, Marie McIntyre, and Yaritza Ramirez Fernandez
TV News - "BHMIJ Sports News" featuring Ian DeRuyter, Maggie Wright, Hunter Mullally, Jaxson Albrecht, and Brett McInnis
TV News - "Anchors vs. AI" featuring Mia Paez, Naesheama Inos, and Damian Gonzalez
Large Group speech is a form of competitive performing arts. Students form groups, read from scripts (or memorize), rehearse together, and then perform in front of a judge or multiple judges at district and state contests. There are 11 unique LG categories that students may perform in. They can be in up to 2 categories per year.
Just like with individual speech, students rehearse for a number of weeks before contest season begins. Groups then compete at district contest in front of one judge per category. If their group receives a division one rating, they then move on to the state contest where 3 judges critique them. Finally, a very small percentage of groups who receive a high enough state contest rating may be selected to be honored at the LG All-State Festival.
LG rehearsals begin: November
LG district contest: end of January
LG state contest: beginning of February
LG All-State Festival: mid-February
Here are the 11 LG categories:
One-Act Play: a group of students present a memorize one-act play, similar to a full scale play done during the school year. It can last up to 35 minutes and include any number of people. Costumes, make-up, lighting, and staging are all allowed.
Readers Theater: A group of 2-15 students perform a reading for a maximum of 25 minutes. This is a category to judge vocal acting such as inflection. It is not memorized.
Choral Reading: A group of 3-15 students present a reading for a maximum of 15 minutes. It is not memorized and is judged on vocal blending. Choral Reading may use costumes and props.
Short Film: A group of 1-15 students create a video of no more than 5 minutes on a subject of their choice. The video is pre-recorded before contest. Almost anything (appropriate) is acceptable, including costumes, props, music, and animation.
TV News: A group of 2-15 students create a news broadcast of no more than 10 minutes on a subject o their choice that is based on real news. TV News may use costumes and props! The broadcast video is read, not memorized, and is pre-recorded before contest.
Radio Broadcasting: A group of 2-8 students create a radio news broadcast that is between 5-6 minutes. The emphasis is on energy and delivery. The broadcast is read, not memorized, and is pre-recorded before contest.
Musical Theater: A group of 2-8 students perform a musical scene for a maximum of 10 minutes. The emphasis is on singing and acting. This is a memorized category.
Ensemble Acting: A group of 2-6 students perform a scene for a maximum of 15 minutes. This is a memorized category.
Group Mime: A group of 2-6 students perform a scene for a maximum of 7 minutes. This is a memorized scene created by the group members and is to be performed entirely with actions and without words or sounds.
Group Improvisation: A group of 2-5 students perform an improvised scene for 5 minutes after having 2 minutes of preparation time to organize the scene.
Solo Mime: An individual performs an original memorized scene using only actions. Solo mime time is 5 minutes.Â