Twice so far, the University of Northwestern-St. Paul where I teach has hosted the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association annual championships and will do so again this summer. NCFCA is the oldest and most established homeschool forensics league in the U.S. I’ve loved being a finalist judge the last two times and will train to do that again. The students in the competition are highly skilled and qualified candidates from across our nation delivering impassioned presentations with professional dedication.
One duo-team’s interpretive selection was Ken Bradbury’s Open to Interpretation, a fun remake of Hansel and Gretel that brings it to a modern forensic setting with a canny private detective solving the crime. Here’s the link: https://www.hitplays.com/hp/Scripts/Samples/OpentoInterpretation=061914.pdf
It’s good to realize that no story’s current ending is cast in cement. People and situations do change. We can use fresh thinking to imagine other creative outcomes.
What if Little Red Riding Hood ate the wolf, instead of him eating her? What if the three little pigs outwit their wolf to become a clever trio going around the countryside outsmarting all wolves until the landscape is free and safe?
What if Jack and Jill don’t go up the hill at all, but down into the valley for water instead and devise a brilliant way for a pipeline or flume to carry the stream’s velocity uphill so no one ever has to climb hills to fetch water–or fall down–again?
Plot twists are refreshing. An keep us out of ruts. Think about any of your favorite stories that could have an interesting alternate ending and share.
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