Contest Master Script - Table Topics Contests

Good morning/afternoon/evening everybody,

I am ________________ contest master for Table Topic Contest. I welcome you all once again.

The purposes of the Table Topics Contest are to provide an opportunity to learn by observing the more proficient speakers who have benefited from their Toastmasters training, to encourage development of impromptu and extemporaneous speaking skills, and to recognize the best as encouragement to all

The __first and/or second_____ winners will represent our _Club/Area/Division in the Area/Division/District level Contest to be held on dd/mm/yy  at (location, time) ___________________________________.

For this contest, we have ___ contestants. I am sure the audience is going to have some thrilling time listening to some magnificent impromptu speeches.

Let me set the rules for the contest.

1.       I request the audience to maintain absolute silence, and no movement during the progress of speech. I once again request ever one to please check and switch your mobile phones, or put them in silent mode.

2.       I request all contestants to handover their mobile phones to the Sergeant at Arms. You may collect this after the contest is over.

3.       No flash photography or recording will be allowed while the contestants are giving their speech. A chance will be given to take photograph during contestant interview.

4.       Once the Contest starts, no one will be allowed to leave the room till the end of last table topic.

5.       Sgt @ arms, once the contestant is on stage, no one will be allowed to come inside the room.

6.       The speaking area for the contestants will be …

________________________________________________________________

7.        The time allotted for every speech is 1 to 2 minutes. Any contestants who speak less than 1 minute and beyond 2 min and 30 sec will be disqualified. The timing device is right in front, and I would request timer to operate the device as I read out the timing signal rules. Green at 1st min, Amber at 1 min 30 sec, and Red at 2 min. Please note that the red signal will be up till the speaker completes his/her speech. No signal will be given to intimate the exceeding of time limit.

8.       Any disqualification with respect to time will be notified at the end of contest, and no names will be announced for the disqualified contestant.

9.       Protests can only be raised by either contestants or judges to Chief Judge to Contest Chair prior to the results declaration.

10.   Judges decision is final.

11.   It is customary that only when the contest master is recognized by the contestant, will he be allowed to sit. Please do recognize me as Contest Master.

12.   One minute silence will be given for judges to mark their ballot. And 2 minutes silence will be given after the last speaker for judges to tally their ballots.

13.   The contestant speaking order has already been chosen. For benefit of Judges, Role players and audience, I will now read out the speaking order of contestants.

Sr No.	Name
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

14.   Now I request one of the guests to pick a topic!!!!

15.   I request Sgt @ Arms to escort all the contestants except first contestant to the adjacent room, and please make sure that the speech is not audible in the waiting room.

16.   First contestant can be at the door, as we are going to start the contest.

17.   Sgt @ arms, are the doors secured? Chief judge, have all the judges briefed? Shall we begin the contest?

Ladies and gentlemen, the Table Topics contest shall begin.

Instruction to Contest Master: Follow this exact same format for all the contestants. For ex., you’ll have to say “Contestant #1, David John”. Wait till the contestant reaches the stage. Then read out the topic very clearly TWICE. For ex., “A ship is always safe at the shore - but that is NOT what it is built for. A ship is always safe at the shore - but that is NOT what it is built for” 

Again say, “Contestant #1…. David John”.

Contestant # _____    TM ____________________________   Topic: _____________________________

Topic: ___________________________ Contestant # _____    TM ____________________________  

<<< After all the contestants have delivered their speech …. >>

Let us give 2 minutes for the judges to mark their ballots. Timer, please indicate to me when 2 minutes have elapsed. 

Audience… Please remain silent until the judges have completed their ballots, and the tally counters have left the room with the ballots.

<<< After 2 minutes have elapsed …. >>

Fellow toastmasters, thank you for your patience!

We shall now begin Contestant Interviews.

<< Call each contestant up and award certificate of participation. Ask each contestant the name of their club and how long they have been a Toastmaster. Ask one or two questions to each contestant based on the available time. DO NOT ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPEECH. ASK questions only from the bio data form filled by the speaker>>