Elmer McCurdy was an ambitious, turn-of-the-20th-century outlaw whose death at the hands of a Western posse ended a life of failed crime and alcoholism and began a brilliant career as a mummified side-show attraction that travelled the USA for decades. By the time this journey ended, his name had been forgotten and his desiccated body was hanging in a house-of-horrors ride at an amusement park in Southern California, spray-painted a day-glo orange. Then one day, a grip for the “Six-Million Dollar Man” TV show jostled what he thought was “just a dummy” and an arm fell off, revealing a human bone and beginning a hunt for the origins of this enigma.
Despite the hook, Dead Outlaw can’t sustain itself for long. Promising subplots fizzle out within minutes. The dramatic effect of lighting tricks from designer Heather Gilbert dampens with constant use. Durand’s mummy poses become distracting as the poor man stands rigid onstage for ages, clasping a rifle and likely exerting as much energy as the players singing and dancing around him.
Dead Outlaw is one of those unthinkably unwieldy-sounding ideas that turns out—in the right hands—to make a rip-roarin’ bullseye of a new-style musical. A wider stage space, and a larger house where the excellent band can be modulated, will make it even better. Scattered seats are still available for the already extended run, if you act quick. We’ll look forward to seeing the show again, hopefully with this cast and band, in its next guise.
2024 | Off-Broadway |
Audible Off-Broadway Premiere Production Off-Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical | Itamar Moses |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | David Cromer |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical | Thom Sesma |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical | Andrew Durand |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical | Heather Gilbert |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lyrics | David Yazbek |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music | David Yazbek |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Musical | Dead Outlaw |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations | Erik Della Penna |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical | Arnulfo Maldonado |
2024 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical | Kai Harada |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | David Cromer |
2024 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Production of a Musical | Dead Outlaw |
2024 | New York Drama Critics Circle Awards | Best Musical | Itamar Moses |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Book of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Itamar Moses |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | David Cromer |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical | Thom Sesma |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical | Julia Knitel |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical | Andrew Durand |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical | Jeb Brown |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical | Dead Outlaw |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Orchestrations (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | Erik Della Penna |
2024 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) | David Yazbek |
2024 | The Lortels | Outstanding Director | David Cromer |
2024 | The Lortels | Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical | Thom Sesma |
2024 | The Lortels | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical | Andrew Durand |
2024 | The Lortels | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical | Jeb Brown |
2024 | The Lortels | Outstanding Musical | Dead Outlaw |
2024 | The Lortels | Outstanding Scenic Design | Arnulfo Maldonado |
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