Moorhead/Woodbury Tournament

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Extemporaneous Musical Theater

EXTEMPORANEOUS MUSICAL THEATRE -  Information 

Welcome to the 11th annual extemporaneous musical theatre competition! In light of a pandemic, we’ve changed the rules up a bit - hopefully this will invite more talent to perform and more ways for us to enjoy great musical theater.

The preliminary round theme for the 2021 tournament is: “I Want. . .” - Songs of Hope and Desire.  For clarification, an “I Want” song is a musical theater trope - it is usually song #2 or 3 in a show. In this song, a character (typically the protagonist) reveals their hopes, dreams, desires. You will choose your song and record it for prelims.

 The final round theme for the 2021 tournament is:  “Let’s Be Bad” - Musical Theater Villains. We will assemble the list of songs according to vocal range (soprano, alto, tenor, baritone). You will draw for the final. 

Rules:

1. Participants must perform alone.

2. Each performance requires one song and one introduction, which must include the song title, composer/lyricist and which musical or song cycle it is from (e.g., “from Jekyll and Hyde, “Good and Evil” by Frank Wildhorn). 

3. On Thursday  (January 28th), competitors will submit a pre-recorded video/YouTube link that will be used for all 3 preliminary rounds. 

4. With the announcement of Ex. Musical Theater finalists on Saturday morning, the draw will begin. Finalists will draw 3 songs, choose one, and prepare to perform “live” before awards in a streamed ceremony.  

Preparatory Work / Song Selection: All performers must have backing track or accompaniment recorded for each song aka karaoke track.  

Each song selection must be one song – no medleys allowed.

Final Round Protocol: Finalists will be announced on Saturday morning. Students who qualify for the final round must appear in the designated digital room on prior to round 1 on Saturday to draw for finals. The final round performance will start approximately 45 minutes before awards. The final round will be streamed live . . . and will be awesome.

EXTEMPORANEOUS MUSICAL THEATRE – Judging Information

Thank you for being a part of our decade-long tradition!  We want to ensure all extemporaneous musical theater students have a positive experience. Here is a quick summary of the rules and a suggested rubric for scoring their performances.

Judging Criteria

1. Introduction – does it succinctly introduce the piece? Does it reflect thoughtful analysis of the piece? 

2. Vocal qualities – tone, breath support, clarity, consistency across registers.

3. Interpretation – does the singer embody the character they are playing? Do their choices inform the scene/environment? Does the way they interpret the song suggest they understand the material and the context in which the song occurs in the musical?

4. Song choice – did the singer choose a song that allows them to showcase their abilities? Because students choose their own options, judges may provide feedback on appropriateness of choice.  Students may be rewarded for choosing songs that fit their skills – for example, a well characterized “Master of the House” from Les Mis can beat a well-sung “On My Own.”

5. Performance – Is the performance dynamic? Engaging? Get and sustain your attention?

Sally selects “Adelaide’s Lament” from Guys and Dolls. She gets one minute of prep and then performs her introduction/song.  After her performance, the judge initials next to the song and takes the draw slip. Sally then takes the registration form with her when she leaves.

FINAL ROUND:

Sally makes finals! After posting, she reports to the draw room and hands her registration form to the tournament official. She selects her song from the remaining three options – “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. She has also broken in Prose finals, so she attends that final but leaves early. She reports to the auditorium and performs in the final round of Ex Musical Theater. 

EXTEMPORANEOUS MUSICAL THEATRE – Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to sing the song in the context of the show or can I re-interpret it?

Please make the song your own, interpreting as you see fit.

Am I being judged on how good of a singer I am?

Sort of. This is singing category, so students who feel comfortable sharing their voices will likely be successful. That being said, there are many individuals who are not exceptionally talented vocalists who succeed in professional theater because of their ability to interpret characters. We encourage ALL students who are interested to find pieces that allow them to use all of their vocal and interpretive skills. A rousing performance of “Master of the House” from Les Mis may beat a well-sung “On My Own” if the characterization is stronger.

Do I really need an intro?

YES.

Do I have to sing my intro?

If you want to. We would politely suggest that you don’t.

What are the movement rules?

Typical rules that apply to speech must be adhered to in Ex Musical Theatre. So, you can take as many steps as you want, sit on the ground, roll over, etc but you cannot exit the room or stand on tables/chairs (they would be considered props). 

Is there a time limit?

No, though most performances are less than five minutes.

Can I sing a song typically performed by the opposite gender? Or a group song by myself?

Yes, you can! There are no rules about song format – you just can’t do a prepackaged medley. That being said, you will be judged on vocal quality during that performance, so make sure it is in your range or that you make character choices for when it gets too high/low.

What if someone else does the same song I am doing?

Then you best do it better! JK, life is a rich tapestry. This happens in real speech all the time. It’ll be ok.