Dead Outlaw on Broadway Tickets

By: Itamar Moses
Songs by: David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna
Director: David Cromer
Choreography: Ani Taj
Cast list: Andrew Durand (as Elmer McCurdy), Jeb Brown (as Band Leader/Jarrett), Eddie Cooper (as Coroner Johnson), Dashiell Eaves (as Louis/Charles Patterson), Julia Knitel (as Helen/Maggie), Ken Marks (as George), Trent Saunders (as Andy Payne), Thom Sesma (as Coroner Noguchi)
Sets: Arnulfo Maldonado
Costumes: Sarah Laux
Lighting: Heather Gilbert
Sound: Kai Harada
Other info: Music supervision by Dean Sharenow, music direction by Rebekah Bruce, orchestrations by David Yazbek, Erik Della Penna, and Dean Sharenow

Born in 1880, Elmer McCurdy was an American outlaw killed in a shootout with police after robbing a train in Oklahoma in 1911. Now infamously known as "The Bandit Who Wouldn't Give Up," his mummified body was first put on display at an Oklahoma funeral home and then became a fixture on the traveling carnival and sideshow circuit from the 1920s through the 1960s. After changing ownership several times, this legend’s remains eventually wound up at The Pike amusement zone in Long Beach, California, where they were discovered by crewmembers for a television series.

Sounds wild? It is, and there’s so much more to the not-so-tall tale. Director David Cromer, book writer Itamar Moses, and songwriters David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna (the only non-Band’s Visit creator of the group) were first commissioned to turn it into Dead Outlaw by Audible Theater, which mounted the world premiere at the Minetta Lane Theatre in 2024.

What to watch for

• After training in the Army, McCurdy incorporated his knowledge of nitroglycerin, used for demolition purposes, into his train and bank robberies. However, he often failed to determine the proper amount to use and often bungled his thefts.
• The actor playing McCurdy must stay stock-still on stage to play his corpse for the whole second half of the show!
• McCurdy got a lot of posthumous nicknames, like "The Outlaw Who Would Never Be Captured Alive," "The Mystery Man of Many Aliases," "The Oklahoma Outlaw," and "The Embalmed Bandit."
• Dead Outlaw is the first Broadway show that originated with Audible Theater.

Important information

• This production uses theatrical haze and smoke, as well as loud sound effects including gun shots.
• Children under 4 years old will not be admitted.
• No weapons permitted on the premises. No outside food or beverages, electric scooters, e-bikes, or battery-powered transportation devices, except when medically necessary.
• All items are subject to inspection. Anything brought into the theatre must fit on your lap or completely under your seat without blocking any aisles. Avoid bringing packages, luggage, and backpacks. Some items must be checked.
• The use of cameras, cell phones, and other recording devices during the show is strictly prohibited by law, except when used for accessibility services.