BP Speech traveled to Philadelphia over the weekend of November 21-22 and saw experienced members of the team leading by example, with seniors Chris Moncrief, Tayshawn Layton and Deborah Allen-Carr all reaching the Semifinals of the nationally-competitive Villiger Invitational at St. Joseph's University.
It was a spirited squad that traipsed around the Gothic architecture of the West Philly campus with the Now-Familiar Student Congress team (Monica Lindsay, Autumwind Spear, Norberto Troncoso), the Active Upstart (Marissa Charlemagne - presenting three different pieces), and the Old Standards (Keegon Robinson, Moncrief, Alenn-Carr and Layton). Nearly every student double-entered for the tournament, competing in two different events, sometimes with two memorized pieces. It was Chris Moncrief who scored big in both his events, reaching the Quarterfinals and then the Semifinals in both Original Oratory and Oral Interpretation - putting him in the top twelve finishers in both competitions, but leaving him one round shy of Finals competitions. Meanwhile, the Duo team of Tayshawn Layton and Deborah Allen-Carr presented their interpretation of the play, Matt and Ben, portraying Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. They played to a packed audience in the Semis round, but also missed out on Finals.
The results are clear indications of the hard work and progress going on after school in the Library and Room 201, as well as an indication of the room for improvement needed to make a Finals push at the upcoming competitions.
Other non-competition related highlights for the team were a raucous evening at IHOP followed by the annual Villiger Dance Party, where the team amazed fellow competitors with mad crazy dance moves.
Huge thanks from the team to Halie Berson and John Aronson for judging, chaperoning - you made the whole trip possible.
Next up is the big, bad Patriot Games tournament all the way down in Fairfax, Virginia. Stay tuned for the full report.
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