Shrugging Destiny

***Shrugging Destiny*** is the first episode of *Off Book: The Improvised Musical,* and features guest Paul F. Tompkins. The musical primarily follows the journey of a child named Devon, the only talented performer in a school production of *Godspell,* as he launches a music career.

## Episode Description

In the premiere episode of OFF BOOK: The Improvised Musical, Jessica McKenna and Zach Reino welcome guest Paul F. Tompkins to the stage in the brand new musical "SHRUGGING DESTINY". With the sure-to-be classic songs "Put Yourself First", "No One Wants To Eat At Chipotle", "Dang Dang Dang", and more, you'll be listening to this show over and over again.

## Plot

### Act I

After watching their children perform in a terrible high school production of *Godspell,* a group of parents in Glen Oaks, Ohio waits nervously outside, torn between love for their kids and overwhelming disappointment at their lack of talent. They decide that the best course is to squelch any hope the young actors might have of continuing down this path. As the kids emerge, excited and filled with hope, they are met with a barrage of vicious criticism from their parents, and the news that they will need to find alternate transportation home ("You Gotta Crush a Kid's Dreams").

The kids are hurt and confused by this. They do their best to recover, affirming one another's value as people. Football triplets Steve and Kevin, along with their friend Jenny, find their confidence deeply shaken. They also agree that Devon's father really overstepped in saying that he preferred John Wilkes Booth to his son's acting. Surprisingly, Devon is unfazed by the negativity, and grows more confident in his ability. The others urge him to pursue his new destiny as a singer, heavy though the burden may be. The kids adopt their parents' Ayn Rand-ian philosophy, and Devon resolves to be a maker, not a taker ("Shrug It Off").

Driving home in the car, one of the parents tunes into the sexy, sexy sounds of CTZN Radio. The DJ smoothly advises weary listeners to put themselves first and escape such unpleasant responsibilities as parenting. The father of the football triplets calls in, seeking affirmation in his choice to reject his kids. With the DJ's encouragement, he decides to emancipate himself from his untalented children and be free ("Put Yourself First [CTZN Radio]"). ""

At the local orphanage, three young Cockney orphans are complaining about a sudden influx of 17-year-olds, who have caused a shortage of porridge. One of them, Mumphs Mumphrey, even goes so far as to suggest violence. One of the new arrivals, Jenny, attempts to make friends with the children, but she is promptly told to "bang off" in a hail of blows from Mumphs Mumphrey's crutch ("You Can Fuck Right Off"). Disheartened, Jenny leaves them be, and rejoins her high school friends.

Devon, the only one from their friend group who was not sent away by their parents, prepares to perform a concert for the orphans. He has already garnered some fame as a singer on YouTube, and the orphans make a request for their favorite track. Devon obliges, inspiring the kids with a song about keeping one's chin up in the face of adversity ("Dang Dang Dang Y'Know"). The performance causes Mumphs Mumphrey to explode with joy, killing him instantly, but taking Devon's YouTube views one step higher.

Later, Devon is musing about his musical hero, Lil' Ken. Steve and Kevin realize that they don't know where their other brother, Kyle, has been since before the night of the play. Perhaps as a means of dealing with this anxiety, Steve suggests a trip to Chipotle. However, just as the group arrives at the restaurant, they change their mind and leave. The lone Chipotle employee lapses into a deep reflection on the chain's fall from grace, with a sentient floor and tub of guacamole lending helpful insights. Ultimately the trio conclude that Chipotle's impressively mixed cheese could not outweigh the threat of disease from E. coli ("No One Wants to Eat at Chipotle").

Devon, Steve, and Kevin are still looking for a place to eat, in order to celebrate Devon's up-and-coming musical career. He shares his longtime dream to eat at a restaurant in Hollywood, California. The prospect of a road trip excites the friends, although they initially disagree over the logistics. Eventually, they decide to acquire three cars, and caravan across the country on speaker phone, Tokyo drifting all the way. Kevin and Steve die in a fiery crash ("Tokyo Driftin'").

Devon is briefly crushed by his friends' deaths. He recovers quickly, however, when approached by a pair of music producers from Straight Fire Productions. When they learn of his fame as YouTube's "Singin' Devon," they immediately offer him a contract with their record label, plying him with promises of glamour and luxury ("Straight Fire"). Devon is intrigued, despite having his very worldview shaken by the optimistic philosophy of the Straight Fire duo. If he is to succeed in the music business, he must be collaborative and humble; in fact, this is the only term of his contract (aside from one clause giving Straight Fire 30% of everything he owns, in perpetuity). Devon signs, and agrees to meet the producers later on, at Fire Fest.

Kyle, the third of the football triplets, finds Devon in California and asks him to return home to sing at his brothers' funeral. (As it turns out, Kyle was at home the whole time.) Devon feels for Kyle, but is shocked to find that he and many others consider Devon's music to be "fluff." As if out of nowhere, Lil' Ken arrives to confirm Kyle's assessment. Insisting that fluffy bunnies rarely change the world, he compares Devon's brand of fluff to that of Oswald, the rabbit precursor to Disney's Mickey Mouse. While he attempts to build a case, however, Kyle and Devon suggest six other rabbits who made an impact on history. Lil' Ken changes his mind about the value of fluff, and encourages Devon to continue focusing on building his career.

That weekend, back in Ohio, the funeral for two of the football triplets is underway. Kyle is confident that Devon will appear, as he promised. Meanwhile, at Fire Fest, the Straight Fire producers are also waiting for Devon to arrive and launch his debut. The festival, it should be noted, is not going well. Devon wrestles with his contractual obligation to the music label and his commitment to his friends. When the producers finally call him, he has his answer ready: to truly be collaborative and humble, he must support his friends. The Straight Fire duo celebrates Devon's breakthrough, revealing that this moment of growth was their aim all along. They renounce Fire Fest and fly away.

Devon Tokyo Drifts all the way back to Ohio, arriving in the middle of Kyle's eulogy. The assembled press and orphans are abuzz with anticipation. Accepting that fluffy music can heal as well as entertain, Devon regales the crowd with a moving tribute to his lost friends. Over time, his voice and style change, as he becomes a musical legend. Through the power of his music, future generations of children are inspired to pursue their dreams, confident that their supportive parents will drive them home ("Collaborative & Humble [Finale]").

**Show/Hide**

## Musical Cast

### Paul F. Tompkins

* Father of Football Triplets
* Devon
* Mumphs Mumphrey
* Chipotle Guac

### Jessica McKenna

* Parent of Unnamed Child
* Bradley
* Football Triplet Kevin
* Jenny
* DJ of CTZN Radio
* Orphan #2
* Chipotle Floor
* Straight Fire Music Producer #1
* Football Triplet Kyle

### Zach Reino

* Father of Bradley
* Child of Unnamed Parent
* Football Triplet Steve
* Orphan #1
* Chipotle Employee
* Straight Fire Music Producer #2
* Lil' Ken
* Funeral Conductor

## Songs

* "You Gotta Crush a Kid's Dreams" (7:30)
* "Shrug It Off" (13:52)
* "Put Yourself First (CTZN Radio)" (17:40)
* "You Can Fuck Right Off" (21:33)
* "Dang Dang Dang Y'Know" (22:48)
* "No One Wants to Eat at Chipotle" (27:12)
* "Tokyo Driftin'" (30:30)
* "Straight Fire" (33:40)
* "Collaborative & Humble (Finale)" (39:35)

Closing Song:

* "Pardon Me Little Child" (What's the Patter?) (48:23)

## Perks of Signing with Straight Fire Productions

* Access to a pool and a big floaty
* Drink with straw and umbrella
* Private beach with no one else around
* Party clown with bottle service
* Zero-gravity sex on a SpaceX rocket ship with a girl who is definitely over 18 (voucher provided)
* Undersea journey to meet a previously unknown ocean creature (possibly a wise turtle)
* Book with over 300 pages

## Seven Rabbits That Left Their Mark on History

1. Bugs Bunny
2. The Easter Bunny
3. The one from *Of Mice and Men*
4. Thumper
5. The Trix Rabbit
6. Peter Rabbit
7. Oswald