“As the best new musical of the season, Dead Outlaw proves that producers don’t need a well-known IP or $31 million to make an impact.”
MusicalOriginal
MUSICALORIGINALCLOSED
Dead Outlaw
Longacre Theatre · Opened Apr 27, 2025 · Closed Jun 29, 2025 · Ran for 2 months
Critics' Take
Critics hail this darkly comic musical about a mummified outlaw as bold, original, and deliciously macabre, praising its inventive score and sardonic wit. A rare gem that defies Broadway convention with brash confidence.
Critic Scorecard
26 reviewsSort:
“Dead Outlaw unearths the corpse of forgotten history — elevating a twisty little yarn into a bizarro-world elegy to how the American Dream can curdle into violence, cruelty, and casual indifference.”
“Loping into the Longacre at the tail end of this up-and-down season, here’s an iconoclastically anarchic romp that blasts its way through traditional showmaking to create an original new musical that’s adventurous, unconventional, consistently entertaining, and an altogether rip-roarin’ bull’s-eye.”
“In one of the quirkiest, most morbid and somehow loveliest musicals to hit Broadway this season... Dead Outlaw is a very late entry in Broadway's 2024-2025 season, and absolutely one of the best.”
“And it is, by far, the best, most sublime musical of the season.”
Audience Scorecard
4.3K audience reviews
B
Shrugging
Awards Scorecard
2024-25 season75
Decorated
Nominated for Best Musical
Drama Desk:3 wins / 11 nomsOuter Critics:2 wins / 7 nomsNY Drama Critics:1 winOBA Award:1 winDrama League:3 nomsLortel Award:3 noms
Box Office Scorecard
source · Broadway League, publicAll Time
Frequently Asked Questions
What do critics say about Dead Outlaw?
Critics hail this darkly comic musical about a mummified outlaw as bold, original, and deliciously macabre, praising its inventive score and sardonic wit. A rare gem that defies Broadway convention with brash confidence. (CriticScore 83/100 from 26 reviews.)
Is Dead Outlaw worth seeing?
Absolutely — Dead Outlaw is one of the season's most acclaimed shows, earning a rare 83/100 from 26 critics. Don't miss it.
What is the CriticScore for Dead Outlaw?
Dead Outlaw has a CriticScore of 83/100 based on 26 professional reviews. This is considered a "Critical Gold" show.
Is Dead Outlaw still running on Broadway?
No, Dead Outlaw has closed. It played at Longacre Theatre and closed on June 29, 2025.
Theater Scorecard
Typical VenueThe Longacre Theatre offers good sightlines with minimal obstructions, even from the balcony, and the sound quality is consistently praised. While the seating is a bit narrow, it provides average comfort for most patrons. The theater's ambiance is enhanced by its elegant Beaux Arts interior, and facilities are typical for a Broadway venue, with some lines at intermission but generally manageable.
Original Broadway Cast
- Andrew DurandElmer McCurdyNom: Actor (Musical)
- Jeb BrownBandleader & othersNom: Featured Actor (Musical)
- Eddie CooperCoroner Johnson & others
- Dashiell EavesCharles Patterson & others
- Julia KnitelMaggie Johnson & othersNom: Featured Actress (Musical)
- Ken MarksLouis Sonney & others
- Trent SaundersAndy Payne & others
- Thom SesmaCoroner Noguchi & others
Creative Team
- David CromerDirector
- Itamar MosesBook
- Dean SharenowMusic Supervision
- Rebekah BruceMusic Direction
- David YazbekMusic & Lyrics
- Erik Della PennaMusic & Lyrics
Quick Facts
- CriticScore
- 83/100 (26 reviews)
- Status
- Closed
- Opened
- Apr 27, 2025
- Closed
- Jun 29, 2025
- Run Length
- 2 months
- Runtime
- Synopsis
- A darkly hilarious musical about the bizarre true story of Elmer McCurdy, a bumbling outlaw who died in a 1911 shootout in Oklahoma. His unclaimed, embalmed body spent the next 65 years on a macabre odyssey as a sideshow attraction and carnival prop, until a TV crew discovered the mummy hanging in a Long Beach amusement park ride in 1976. With music and lyrics by David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna and a book by Itamar Moses.
- Data Last Updated
- August 8, 2026
