What is a performance?

The History Day performance category allows you to

create a play that conveys a historical argument with
dramatic appeal. Innovative performances have made this
category the highlight of many History Day events.
In creating a performance, its important to remember that
entries in this category are not oral reports about a topic.
You will create a script, with characters, lines and
costumes in order to convey your argument to the
audience. Use your imagination and have fun!

The Basic Framework

Time Limit: Your performance may not be longer than 10 minutes. This does not include your
performance introduction (including only the title and participant names). Timing will begin after you
introduce your project. You will have five additional minutes to set up your performance and five additional
minutes to take it down.
Media: You are able to use media in your performance, including CD players, computers, etc. However,
only group members are allowed to run this equipment and you will have to provide the equipment
yourselves.
Costumes: Performers can find costumes in a variety of places. You can create your own or have one
produced for you. You can also rent a costume from a store or borrow one from your school drama
department. No matter what you do, the choice of pieces in the costume, choice of fabrics used and choice
of design of the costume must be your own. You do not have to buy or rent expensive historically accurate
costumes, but you are expected to consider the appropriateness of your clothing in relation to the time
period and the script. For example, a student might wear a plain grey shirt and slacks to represent a
Confederate soldier in the Civil War, understanding that a dark blue shirt and slacks wouldn't be
appropriate.
Script: You should bring an extra copy of your script to a competition in case you want to review your
lines, but you should not include your script with the other written materials presented to your judges.
A Live Performance: The very nature of the performance category means that performance are not prerecorded. You will have to perform in front of an audience of judges and other viewers. Dont be afraid! The
people watching your performance will be other students, teachers or family members and will all be there
to support you.
Be sure to check the NHD Contest Rulebook for complete category rules!

Why Should I Choose the Performance Category?

If you enjoy being on stage and performing in front of an audience, this is the category
for you! You should enjoy creative writing and producing scripts. Its also important to
have access to costumes and props and have the ability to transport them to competitions.
In choosing this category, its important to think of the appropriateness of your topic for a
performance. Is there a character or event that is related to your topic that you can turn
into an effective argument about your topic? Are there various types of historical evidence that you can include in your performance, such as quotes, music, photographs,
maps, etc.?
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The Script
Your script is the most important element of your performance. It is the
culmination of all your research and conveys your argument to the audience. The
script must be an original creation of the student(s) working on the project.
History Day scripts are similar to other types of performances or plays. If you've
never seen a script before, check your library or ask your teacher for an example
to see how scripts are formatted.
Remember, this isn't a Broadway drama! Since your performance can only be 10
minutes long, you dont have a lot of space to write your script. You will be able to
include about 5 pages (double-spaced) of script in a History Day performance.

Blocking & Stage Directions

In preparing your performance, its important to think about how you will present your words to the audience. In
addition to your lines, write stage direction for the actors. How should they deliver certain lines? Is the character
angry? Happy? Sad? Where should they pause for dramatic effect or to let the characters words sink in? Where
should each character be on the stage while delivering their lines? How do the characters interact with each other?
Thinking about these elements before will help your performance to appear polished and consistent.

The Stage
The stage you will use to present your performance will vary at different History Day competitions. Most likely, you
will have a classroom to share your performance. An area will be cleared at the front of the classroom and the
desks will be set into rows for the audience. At other competitions, you may find that there is a stage or a platform
in a lecture hall. No matter where you are, there will be room for group members to move around comfortably. You
may or may not be able to operate the lights in your performance room.

Props & Set

History Day sets don't have to be elaborate. (In fact, elaborate sets can cause
problems when it comes time to move them during competitions. You only
have five minutes to set-up and an additional five minutes to take down your
set.)
Every prop should have a use, and you should use every prop. When you have
your script written, make a list of every object that a character must use,
including furniture. If your list is huge, think about whether all the props are
really necessary, or whether you can get away without certain items. Let the
audience use their imaginations!

Costumes
An effective costume will help your audience understand who you are as a
character and the time period in which your performance takes place. You can make your costume yourself, rent
your costume or have one produced for you. However, according to NHD rules, the student(s) in the performance
must make all the decisions about the costume, including the selection of materials, patterns or costume selection.
Look at photographs, paintings or costume design books about the time period for inspiration.
Remember, effective costumes do not have to be elaborate. Plain clothing, with simple hats or coats can easily
show an audience a change of character.

Media
You are allowed to include media in your performance, including the use of CD or tape players. Remember, you
will need to provide all additional equipment to play these media elements and only group members may operate
them.

Planning
Remember the NHD Criteria
Especially in the performance category, its easy to get caught up in telling a story through drama. Its important
to remember the purpose of your performance and the elements that the judges will be looking for:

Argument: A performance should clearly express an

argument, just like a written paper. Incorporate it at the
beginning to let your audience know what you will be
proving. Make sure to incorporate it again at the end to
reiterate your argument for the audience.
Historical Context: When researching and creating
your performance, you should consider more than just
the narrative of the topic. Think about what took place
before or during the time period. How did these people,
place or events influence your topic? This historical
context is important to understanding your topic and
making an argument.
Evidence: Just like other presentation categories, its
important to incorporate historical evidence that supports your argument. What lines can you include in
your script that will show this evidence or support? For example, lets say that you are creating a group
performance about Susan B. Anthony and the womens voting rights movement in the United States. A
pro-voting rights character might give reasons that he or she thinks women should have the right to vote.
These dont necessarily have to be quotations from the past, but should be the same arguments that
women from the movement gave for demanding the right to vote.
In addition, are there quotations from primary sources, such as letters or diaries, which you can use in
your script? Are there photographs or other visual elements that you can incorporate into your
performance?

Putting It All Together

Be Historically Accurate
Your performance should appeal dramatically to the audience,
but this shouldnt be at the expense of historical accuracy. Be
creative when you make up characters, imagine scenes or write
dialog. However, make sure there is a historical basis for the
narrative of your performance. Its okay to imagine what Susan
B. Anthony might have said to her supporters as she fought for
womens right to vote, but its not appropriate to contend that
she fought against the vote. That wouldnt be based on historical
fact.

Focus on Certain Characters During a Moment

in History Rather Than Narrating an Entire
Biography or Timeline
The characters depicted in your performance can be real or
fictional, as long as they're supported by evidence. Before
writing your script, brainstorm a list of people famous or
unknown who were affected in one way or another by the
historical topic you are researching. Consider each person's
unique perspective on events. What scenes do you imagine
for them as characters in a performance? How could
different characters help express your argument?

Establish the Scene Right Away

Who are you? Where are you? What time period are you in?
Who is your character talking to? Communicate the "who, what, where and when" early in your script. This will not
only help you give a stronger performance, but will also let the audience tune in to your argument and ideas
instead of trying to identify your topic and setting.

Less Can Be More

Remember the purpose of your History Day performance before getting too involved in elaborate scenes, props,
character changes and costumes. Most of your effort should be put into your research, argument and a solid
script.

Look it Over
The Performance Stands Alone
When evaluating NHD performances, the judges should be able to find all the information about your topic in the
performance itself. The performance has to stand on its own. Have someone who has never seen your
performance watch it (a friend, teacher, neighbor, etc.). After they have seen the performance, ask them a few
questions to see if you have communicated your argument clearly: What am I trying to prove in my performance?
What evidence have I shown to support that argument? What do you like about my performance? What is
confusing to you?

Research First
Since your research is the basis for your performance, its only fitting that you should have a strong basis of research
before you begin writing your script. No matter how tempting it is to dive in and begin writing a script, its best to have
your research done to understand the full range of possibilities open to you.

Brainstorm Your Options

Having a strong foundation of research will allow you to write a brief description of your topic. Then, think about all
the possible answers to the following questions:
What events, both major and minor, are connected to my topic?
What characters, both famous and not, are connected to my topic?
What scenes, both real and imagined, might I use in my performance?

Get Inspired
Check out other types of historical dramas or NHD performances to get inspired about what you might do through
your performance. You can borrow sample performances from the NHD in Wisconsin office, or check out samples
online through the national office at http://www.nhd.org/ProjectExamples.htm

Develop Your Characters

Once youve decided on your characters, its time to get into your characters head, whether youre portraying a
real or fictional person.
How does the character dress? How does the character speak?
What is the characters personality or mood?
What was life like for someone like this character?
What does the character think about events in his or her time period?
What kinds of social behavior would someone in this characters time or situation portray?

Outline the Basics of Your Performance

Before you begin writing your script, take the time to outline the basics of your performance. You dont want to get
too far into your writing and then realize that a certain aspect of your performance wont work. This is also a great
time to think about how you will make transitions in time and characters in your performance, if applicable.
What sections are you going to break your performance into?
Where are you stating your argument?
How does each part of your performance support your argument?
What evidence or primary source might you be able to incorporate and where?
Where do you show how your topic is connected to the them?
How do you address historical context through your performance?

Edit It Down
About five pages of double space script will be enough to fill 10 minutes of performance. You may have to make
some difficult decisions as to what you are and are not able to include. Remember that your historical argument and
evidence are the most important parts of your performance. When you have finished a draft of your script, highlight
the parts that express your argument in one color and specific supporting evidence in a different color. If it looks like
there's not enough of one color on the script, it may be time for some editing! It should be easier to see what parts of
your performance you may be able to edit out.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Having a working script done is just the beginning. Keep rehearsing to learn your lines and to practice speaking at
the right speed, volume and tone. As you go through your lines, take time to block out where your characters will
stand, how they will move and what props they might need to use. If possible, ask someone to tape record your
performance. You can watch it later to see how the performance looks from the audiences perspective.

Presenting a project in the performance category at a History Day competition is similar to presenting projects in other
categories. At your assigned time, you will have the chance to share your work with the judges. This is how a
presentation in the performance category usually works:
Set-Up: You have five minutes to set up your set and props for your performance. Your judges will ask
for your process paper and bibliography before you set up so that they can begin looking at it.
Remember, only group members should set up the props and any background. Once you are set-up, wait
for the judges signal begin your performance.
Performance
Take-Down: Take down your set and move your props to the side of the room or into the hallway. Make
sure to be as quiet as possible while you are doing this as there may be other presentations going on in
the same area. You have five more minutes to take down.
Interview: Dont be afraid of the interview! This is your chance to help your judges understand your
argument and highlight any cool research that you have done. Remember, the interview isnt a
memorized presentation for the judges. You will respond to the questions they ask, such as How did you
choose your topic? or Why do you think your topic is significant in history? However, also do not
dismiss the interview. This is the time to show off all the knowledge you gained in your research that you
might not have been able to fit in your performance!

Frequently Asked Questions About Performances

Does my performance have to be memorized?
There isnt a rule that says that your performance has to be memorized, but its best if it is. Memorizing your script will
help you focus on how you say your lines versus just reading a script to your audience. Finally, memorized lines
contribute to good stage presence, which is part of clarity of presentation on the History Day evaluation sheet.

What props might be available at the competition?

To be safe, its best to bring all the props necessary to a competition. Youre likely to find a chair or table at a
competition, however, these are not guaranteed. If you have questions, be sure to check with the contest coordinator.

What happens if I go over the time limit?

Going a few seconds over the time limit with your performance isnt the end of the world. Judges will understand that
you may be nervous and that this may happen. What isnt appropriate is to go significantly over the time limit, as this
would give you an unfair disadvantage over other projects. If you do go significantly over time, the judges will take this
into consideration in your final ranking. When planning and rehearsing your performance, try to plan extra time to
allow for audience response or forgotten lines at a competition.

What do I give judges at the competition?

Before you begin your performance, your judges will ask for
copies of your process paper and annotated bibliography. You
should not give them a copy of your script or copies of your
research.

A Few Final Reminders:

Be Confident! Youre the expert on your topic.

Youve spent a lot of time researching and creating
your performance and should be proud of all your
hard work.
Speak Slowly and Loudly: Its easy to get nervous
and rush through your lines, but take a breath and
slow down. This is the first time your audience has
seen your performance and they need to be able to
hear and understand your words.
Have Fun! The History Day event is your opportunity to share your research with other scholars. Take
the time to learn from the other projects you see, meet new people and enjoy yourself!
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The qualities that a judge is looking for in your NHD performance are written right on the
evaluation sheet. Listed below is the same criteria judges will use to evaluate your performance.
After you create your performance, go through this list and ask yourself if youve met the criteria or
incorporated the information into your project.

Historical Quality 60% (At 60%, the historical quality of your performance is by far the most important)

My performance is historically accurate: All the information in my performance is true to

the best of my knowledge.
I show analysis and interpretation: My performance doesnt just recount facts or tell a
story. I interpret and analyze my topic. My performance has a strong central thesis or
argument that I prove. I can point to where I state my thesis in my script.
I place my topic in historical context: My topic didnt take place in isolation. I made sure
to place my topic into historical context the intellectual, physical, social, and cultural
setting for my topic.
My project shows wide, balanced research and I used available primary sources:
These ideas all relate to the research behind your NHD performance. Judges will look
carefully at your bibliography to learn more about your research process. They want to see
that you investigated multiple perspectives about your topic and to see that you looked at
all sides of an issue. They are looking for research using both primary and secondary
sources and to see that you used a variety of source types.

Relation to Theme 20%

I clearly relate my topic to the theme: My theme connection is clear in my performance

itself.
I demonstrates significance of my topic in history and draw conclusions: My
performance does more than just describe my topic. I explain why my topic is important in
history or demonstrate its significance.

Clarity of Presentation 20%

My performance and written materials are original, clear, appropriate and organized: I
have an organized and well-written project. I was careful to avoid plagiarism and I have
double-checked spelling and grammar in my performance, process paper and bibliography.
Performers show good stage presence; props, costumes and historically accurate: I
have used the performance category to effectively communicate my historical argument. My
lines are memorized and I deliver them in a manner that is easy for my audience to
understand. I have carefully chosen my staging, props and costumes to best represent my
topic and its time period.

National History Day in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Historical Society
www.wisconsinhistory.org/teachers/historyday/
[email protected]
Updated: July 2015