Keeping Pace with Pace

Keeping Pace with Pace is the one hundred and tenth episode of Off Book: The Improvised Muiscal, and features guests The Cooties (Ethan Edenburg, Eric Jackowitz, and Jacob Jeffries). The plot follows participants and staff at two rival summer camps as they overcome old grudges and break artistic barriers, led by the coolest counselor ever—Pace.
== Plot ==
=== Act I ===
The year is 2029. At Broward Arts Camp in Weston, Florida, the new arrivals eagerly await their bunk assignments. As each bunk is named after a particular rock band, this decision will affect the kids' entire camp experience. Kelly is particularly anxious. As an admirer of AC/DC's fist-pumping, simple-song-titling brand of rock, she hopes to be assigned to the AC/DC bunk. To her disappointment, she is placed all the way out in the Styx bunk ("I Can't Wait to See What Bunk I'm Gonna Be").
Later, while hanging out as a group, the campers share their admiration for Pace, the coolest camp counselor ever. More than anything, Pace is famed for his flexibility as a musician—classic rock, ska, prog rock, punk, jazz—he has done it all. One year, due to a scheduling mix-up, he attended the dance camp across the lake. Just thinking about Pace's versatility leads the campers to reflect on their own genre preferences and future plans. Out of all of them, only Toby seems satisfied with his choice to play Green Day for life ("What Is the Genre I Want?").
Meanwhile, a group of dance camp participants corner Pace on the dock. Forever changed by his one summer on their side of the lake, they beg him to come back. Pace is reluctant to return to dance camp, expressing concern for his legacy—not the film company, nor the World of Warcraft server, nor the audio plugin, but the impression he left behind. He communicates this idea to the dance campers in the only way they can understand: choreography ("That's Your Legacy"). The dance campers dance their way right off the dock, but learn a valuable lesson. They agree to leave Pace alone, but leave an open invitation for him to return ("That's Your Legacy [reprise]").
Back in the counselors' quarters, the other counselors confront Pace, concerned that his loyalties are divided between Broward and the dance camp across the lake. As the only counselor comfortable working in multiple genres, Pace is essential to the camp's smooth operation. When Pace protests, the others point out several telltale signs that dance camp has changed him. They want a commitment that he will not half-ass his responsibilities as a camp counselor ("We Need All of Your Butt").
=== Act II ===
Kelly, in an effort to adjust to life in the Styx bunk, is trying to get a handle on "Mr. Roboto." Suddenly, she hears a young voice echoing from the shadows. It turns out to be Mariner, a little boy in an old-fashioned sailor suit, fresh from Adorable Sailing School. Mariner encourages Kelly to pursue her dream of joining the AC/DC bunk, regardless of where she was placed, and the two attempt a righteous rock duet on the subject ("We're Here to Rock"). It does not go well. Toby enters, interrupting their conversation in order to ask Kelly to join his cross-genre band. In the course of making introductions, Kelly begins to suspect that Mariner may, in fact, be a ghost. This he confirms in adorable fashion ("I'm Sure This Kid Is a Ghost").
Across the lake, the dance campers are despondent. Having mastered the Legacy Dance, they feel the full weight of Pace's absence, and regret trying to force him to choose one camp or the other. By happy coincidence, Pace arrives in the middle of this conversation, hoping to replenish the toilet paper supply at Broward Arts Camp. The dance campers ask again if Pace would consider rejoining their friend circle, if even on a part-time basis. He agrees, and offers to bring a band from Broward to play and watch reunited group dance. The prospect appeals to the dance campers, as their only accompaniment thus far has been an old, warped classical record. This does lead them to wonder why the two camps ever developed such an intense rivalry.
Flashback 60 years earlier, to the summer of 1969. For a century, relations between the two camps have been positive and healthy. A group of music campers are discussing friendly pranks to pull on the dance campers. One suggests stealing all the dancers' music and keeping it hidden for a day before returning it. Another suggests stealing and burning all the dance campers' food, so that they go hungry. A third suggestion is to drug the dance campers using a pizza laced with "magic mushrooms." This idea is very popular ("Good Natured").
Back in the present, most of the dance campers remain in the dark about the specifics of that fateful summer (although they do remember something about a massive forest fire at the time). The Reggae Counselor from Broward Arts Camp arrives to fetch Pace, mentioning the Fire of '69 in passing. One of the dance campers recalls the story of "The Bad-Natured Prank of 1969," when their records were destroyed in a malicious prank. The Reggae Counselor recalls the story of "The Awesome Prank That Was Ruined by the Fire and Went Horribly Awry of 1969," when an awesome prank ended in an unfortunate conflagration. The Reggae Counselor experiences a revalation and leaves. Pace also prepares to depart, and the dance campers request that he bring back a band that will appeal to all their musical tastes—Jamirouquai, Matchbox Twenty, AC/DC, Green Day, Styx, and the theremin. The future truce between the two camps now depends on Pace's ability to assemble such a supergroup.
To allow himself time to think, Pace embarks for home in a nearby boat. Out on the surface of the lake, he considers the mistakes of his past, the gravity of his future responsibility, and the legacy he wishes to leave behind. Unfortunately, Pace's boat is haunted by Mariner, who begins vwomping back and forth between the boat and the woods near Bunk Three, where a cross-genre rehearsal is taking place. Mariner offers to guide Pace to the young musicians ("Come Row Away/Rock Medley").
Pace arrives at the rehearsal, surprising the members of the newly-formed band, Legacy. Ashamed for mixing genres, they apologize profusely; but Pace reassures them that they are on the right track. He also asks them for their help. After taking a moment to freak out, the band agrees, and prepares for the trip across the lake in Mariner's vessel.
When Pace and the band arrives on the other shore, the dance campers greet them with gusto. Soon, the air is filled with music and the sound of dancing. The long feud between the camps is ended, and all rejoice that their legacy will be one of cooperation and peace ("Legacy (Finale)").
Show/Hide
== Musical Cast ==
=== Ethan Edenburg ===
* Toby, a Green Day camper in the MxPx bunk
* Unnamed Counselor #2
* Good-Natured '60s Music Camper #3
=== Eric Jackowitz ===
* Benjamin, a camper in the Jamirouquai bunk
* Dance Camper #2
* Unnamed Counselor #1
* Good-Natured '60s Music Camper #4
=== Jacob Jeffries ===
* Pace, coolest of the counselors
* Good-Natured '60s Music Camper #5
=== Jessica McKenna ===
* Kelly, an AC/DC camper in the Styx bunk
* Dance Camper #1
* Pop Punk Counselor
* Good-Natured '60s Music Camper #1
=== Zach Reino ===
* Fenton, a satisfied camper in the Matchbox Twenty bunk
* Mariner, a seven-year-old ghost boy
* Dance Camper #3
* Reggae Counselor
* Good-Natured '60s Music Camper #2
== Songs ==
* "I Can't Wait to See What Bunk I'm Gonna Be" (8:38)
* "What Is the Genre I Want?" (15:15)
* "That's Your Legacy" (20:23)
* "That's Your Legacy (Reprise)" (23:00)
* "We Need All of Your Butt" (27:10)
* "We're Here to Rock" (33:50)
* "I'm Sure This Kid Is a Ghost" (38:25)
* "Good Natured" (45:45)
* "Come Row Away/Rock Medley" (52:35)
* "Legacy (Finale)" (1:00:25)
Closing Song:
* "Waaaaaah, Bitch" (The Story of Benjamin) (1:04:25)
== The Legacy Dance ==
# Look left and right with your eyes
# Look up and down with your eyes
#* Make sure your hat is nearby
# Take one step back
# Take one step forward
# Take two steps back
# Take one step forward
# Shake your knee
# Wobble your hips
# Tip your hat
# That's that
== As We Say Every Week... ==
== Gallery ==
Keeping Pace with Pace 1.jpg
Category:Episodes
Category:The Cooties
Category:The Story of Benjamin
Category:Ghosts
Category:Completed plot summary
Category:Eric Jackowitz
Category:Ethan Edenburg
Category:Jacob Jeffries