
‘Dead Outlaw' review: Wild corpse musical is too tame on Broadway
One hour and 40 minutes, with no intermission. At the Longacre Theatre, 220 West 48th Street.
There's a nagging similarity between the 20th-century criminal Elmer McCurdy and 'Dead Outlaw,' the eccentric musical about him.
McCurdy was killed in a shoot-out with police after a bungled train robbery in 1911. And then, in a stomach-churning turn of events, his mummified corpse was carted around the country for decades as an attraction in unsavory traveling tourist museums.
Advertisement
'Dead Outlaw,' which opened Sunday at the Longacre Theatre, has also been schlepped a distance — from the cool and intimate Minetta Lane Theater in Greenwich Village to a big Broadway house uptown.
It, too, has become a bit stiff in the process.
I quite enjoyed the scrappy first incarnation last year, and still admire the score by David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna that stitches together rockabilly, campfire songs, lounge music and folk into an eerie Americana soundscape that's punchy and unsettling.
Advertisement
And the clever conceit of the show from writer Itamar Moses — that McCurdy is a mostly silent cadaver for half the runtime — is smart and sad; a stinging comment on the grotesque lengths some (many, really) will go to make a buck.
But in the Broadway version of 'Dead Outlaw,' directed by David Cromer, there is a lot of dead air.
4 'Dead Outlaw,' which opened on Broadway, tells the story of a bandit who became a famous corpse.
Matthew Murphy
Well, except in the glass-shattering opener, a rascally screamer called 'Dead' that's blared by an onstage band in a shoebox that looks like a college dropout's garage. The playfully rude lyrics rattle off people who are no longer alive (the joke is that many of them actually are) and concludes with 'and so are you!' Think of the unifying cry as 'Ich bin ein Elmer!'
Advertisement
The group's frontman is actor Jeb Brown, perfectly cast with a husky radio voice, who becomes the narrator — Mr. Rogers after midnight. At first the effect is like listening to a weird-but-true podcast before bed. Soon, though, the 'and then this happened's become — forgive me — overkill.
Elmer, both when pathetically alive and famously deceased, is played by Andrew Durand, an easy-to-like actor who audiences will remember as the romantic lead from 'Shucked' and 'Head Over Heels.' As his resume of curiosities would suggest, he's Broadway's go-to guy for 'odd.'
4 Elmer McCurdy's body toured the country for years after he died.
Matthew Murphy
Durand is adorably awkward as Elmer tries and tries and fails and fails to make it as even a D-List bandit.
Advertisement
A violent drunk who hops from town to town, adopting new identities along the way, Durand's Elmer softly croons a lovely Ben Folds-y tune called 'Normal' and hollers a feverish one called 'I Killed A Man in Maine.' In the rambunctious latter, he hurls objects across the stage and attempts to knock down Arnulfo Maldonado's set.
In the second half, with sunken eyes and a razor-sharp jaw line — and I mean this as a compliment — he plays dead very well. The guy rarely ever blinks.
4 Julia Knitel (left) plays a variety of roles in 'Dead Outlaw,' but most movingly a little girl named Millicent.
Matthew Murphy
The show becomes more intriguing as the story grows wilder. Its most involving and moving number, in more ways than one, is called 'Millicent's Song' and is sung by a little girl whose dad has acquired Elmer's body and is storing it at their house. At first she's rightly horrified by the sight, but soon starts sweetly confiding to the dead man like a therapist.
Time passes as she grows up, funny evolves into poignant, and her conversations with the unchanging Elmer mature. Julia Knitel sings sublimely, and the song creatively ticks down the years, rather than having the narrator announce when and where we are. Again.
4 'Dead Outlaw' gets more intriguing as the story grows weirder.
Matthew Murphy
There's also a memorable cruise-ship ditty called 'Up to the Stars,' smoothly performed by Thom Sesma as the coroner as if he's Michael Buble is another dark delight. It's something out of 'Six Feet Under.' You'll either be tickled by the coroner's punchlines ('Natalie Wood? Natalie Won't') or horrified and offended.
Advertisement
The musical has many diamonds in the rough. They're just not polished properly by Cromer's staging, which is awfully haphazard and diffuse for a typically sure-thing director. Scenes far off to the side feel quickly cobbled together, even though the show premiered more than a year ago.
'Outlaw' reminds me of the rebel rock musical 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson' crossed with a bone-dry Coen Brothers film. There's room for something so subversive on Broadway. But not when the production's energy level is that of a funeral parlor at 8 a.m.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Boston Globe
2 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Boston's Age Strong Commission expands senior programming
Among the enthusiastic attendees was Diane Giacalone, 80, who frequents the weekly programming with her two close friends, Mimi Largey Lyons, 78, and Linda Santamaria, 76. 'The Three Amigos,' Giacalone calls them. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The longtime friends, who live in the neighborhood, participate in the programming any chance they get, with some of their favorites being Broadway dancing class and aerobics. They began attending events after the Covid-19 pandemic as a way to get out of the house and physically strengthen themselves, as well as strengthen their minds and foster new friendships. They all agree: The programming is 'life changing.' Boston's Advertisement Demand has been high, and since January, five new satellite locations for seniors opened at community centers to help meet it. The extra day of programming at the Elks Lodge , adding Wednesdays to their previous Tuesday/Thursday schedule, is the final satellite expansion the commission has planned for this year. It is in partnership with Wu was at the Elks Lodge to help kick off the celebration, as were Age Strong's commissioner, Emily Shea, City Councilors Benjamin Weber and Erin Murphy, state Representatives Rob Consalvo and William McGregor, and state Senator Michael Rush. 'For Boston to be a home for everyone, it needs to be a home for every generation,' Wu told a Globe reporter after her speech to the West Roxbury seniors. Mayor Michelle Wu has her picture made with daughter Mira and Age Strong programming attendee Corinne Balsamo. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff In her Offerings at each location, Shea said, are designed for a neighborhood's specific needs, whether that be activities in Spanish and Creole or simply more frequent activities. 'It's so important because each neighborhood is so different,' Shea said. The commission hosts a variety of drop-in classes throughout the week at these new locations. Participants can enjoy physical activities such as chair yoga and ballroom dancing, and creative activities such as watercolor painting and jewelry making. Participants just looking for good conversation and company can enjoy snacks, coffee, and board games throughout the day. Advertisement The programming also includes classes with field trips. One of Lyons's favorite memories is of a rowing class she and her two friends took together, which ended with an excursion: rowing on the Charles River. 'It's something I always wanted to do,' Lyons said. Corinne Balsamo joins the gentle pilates class. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Shea cites Age Strong's programming as one the city's efforts to decrease social isolation in its elderly population. The 'It's healing in mind, body, and spirit,' Giacalone said. She described how the regular group at the Elks Lodge looks out for one another, from celebrating birthdays to checking on friends who have missed a few classes to helping those who can no longer attend. 'The place is beyond friendship,' Lyons chimed in. 'It's family.' Isabella Bernstein can be reached at
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alicia Keys Officially Launches ‘Hell's Kitchen'-Inspired Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation
Alicia Keys has officially launched her new nonprofit. The Grammy Award-winning singer and activist announced the launch of her Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation, which was inspired by her Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Hell's Kitchen. More from The Hollywood Reporter Scooter Braun's Response to Still-Angry Taylor Swift Fans on Catalog Purchase: "They Made the Horrible Miscalculation That I Care" Billy Idol Remembers Ozzy Osbourne: "He Opened Musical Doorways for People Like Me" 'Squid Game' Stars Byung Hun Lee and Yim Siwan to Make KCON L.A. 2025 Appearances The foundation collaborates with local communities, partnering with community-based organizations 'to foster belonging, educational enrichment and professional pathways for historically underrepresented communities,' according to a release. The organization expanded its reach a fellowship program in partnership with the upcoming national tour of Hell's Kitchen. 'With Kaleidoscope Dreams we are creating something that makes people and communities feel empowered, inspired and engaged. We want people to know that their stories and their voices matter, that we all belong here,' Keys said to The Hollywood Reporter in an exclusive statement. 'Our mission is to expand access to the arts, support creatives and diversify the people at the table. We can create spaces where dreams come true.' After a successful pilot programming, Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation has appointed also Asad Ali Jafri its first executive director. The organization was founded in 2024 from the 'the energy and impact' of Hell's Kitchen, according to a release, to 'open doors, spark dreams, and create space for joy, both on and off the stage.' 'Kaleidoscope Dreams Foundation is rooted in the belief that creativity is a powerful force for connection, healing, and transformation. We're proud to build programs that expand access to the arts and support communities that have long been left out of these opportunities,' Jafri said in a release. 'We're creating spaces where dreams can take root and thrive.' The foundation's main work can be broken down into four pillars: cultural access, educational enrichment, professional pathways and community engagement. The organization has piloted multiple programs since its launch — the Hell's Kitchen 2024 fellowship, a cultural access program and an educational enrichment pilot — that they say will only grow under Jafri's leadership. Full details on the foundation can be found on its website. Best of The Hollywood Reporter From 'Party in the U.S.A.' to 'Born in the U.S.A.': 20 of America's Most Patriotic (and Un-Patriotic) Musical Offerings Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Most Notable Deaths of 2025 Solve the daily Crossword


Gizmodo
5 hours ago
- Gizmodo
‘Final Fantasy' Made Hasbro a Hell of a Lot of Gil
Hasbro's no stranger to giving credit where credit's due when a video game helps save its ass financially, having already made plenty of to-do about how the blockbuster success of Baldur's Gate 3 a few years ago provided a surge of interest in D&D. Now it's thanking a video game of a different sort: the Final Fantasy saga, as its recent highly anticipated crossover with Magic: The Gathering has helped make the most successful set of the card game made so far. According to Deadline, Hasbro CEO Chris Cox touted on an earnings call today that sales of the Final Fantasy set, released just over a month ago, helped account for a 23% surge in Magic sales in the last quarter, helping the toymaker offset a $1 billion write-down to account for ongoing tariff-induced uncertainty from retailers, leading to a flat adjusted operating profit for the quarter. 'There's more people playing Magic, and there are more people who have never played Magic who are now playing Magic, than ever before,' Cox noted. The Final Fantasy set has been a subject of controversy even with its massive success and praise for the ways Wizards of the Coast integrated references and mechanics from the legendary RPG series into the Magic format. The first of the 'Universes Beyond' crossover sets to be legal for play in Magic's standard format, before its release, Final Fantasy came to represent concerns from players that Magic was giving too much ground over to licensed crossovers instead of focusing on its original creative storytelling. The surge of interest in the set's reveal also led to a rush on pre-orders, making trying to even get your hands on cards at their suggested retail prices a challenge—especially the set's premium collector-focused booster packs, with aftermarket prices breaking over a thousand dollars at MagicCon Las Vegas for a box of cards meant to 'only' sell for $455. Now, even as player interest switches focus to the upcoming release of Edge of Eternities on August 1st, Final Fantasy packs are still tough to come by. All that controversy matters little to Hasbro's bottom line, so 'Universes Beyond' is going to be here to stay. After Edge of Eternities, the first entirely sci-fi/sci-fantasy-themed Magic set, this year will see the release of two more major crossover sets in the form of Marvel's Spider-Man in late September, and Avatar: The Last Airbender in November. And even though Edge returns to Magic's own storytelling, its mechanics seem ripe for being adapted for the arrival of some pretty hefty franchises among the stars—ones Hasbro at large is already well acquainted with. 'Coming up, we have Spider-Man, Star Wars, and Avengers: Doomsday,' Cox noted on the earnings call, referring more broadly to Hasbro's toy licenses rather than necessarily any specific plans for Magic (although we know there are indeed more Marvel sets on the way after Spider-Man). 'That alone is a pretty stacked lineup and pretty meaningful top-line growth across our Marvel portfolio.' So maybe don't be too surprised if the toymaker finds a way to oust Final Fantasy from its current throne as Magic's most popular set in the not-too-distant future. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.