MTI Acquires Licensing Rights for DEAD OUTLAW

Theatrical licensor Music Theatre International announced the acquisition of the true story turned Broadway musical, Dead Outlaw.  With a book by Tony Award winner Itamar Moses (The Band’s Visit) and music and lyrics by Tony Award winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Full Monty) and Tony nominee Erik Della Penna, the show features an unforgettable score filled with country, rock and folk music. The musical explores fame, failure, and the meaning, or utter meaninglessness of legacy. 

Dead Outlaw is a wild, true story following the life (and mostly death) of outlaw-turned-corpse-turned-celebrity, Elmer McCurdy. Set in the Wild West, Elmer McCurdy was a man who could not find contentment in life and often fell in with the wrong crowds. During a failed train robbery with his gang of bandits, he meets an early grave. His death, however, was only the beginning of his expansive and adventurous life. For the next 66 years his unclaimed corpse is toured all over the country displayed at carnivals and funhouses with patrons eager to see the body of the famed train robber. 

“Dead Outlaw began as David Yazbek’s thirty-year obsession with one of the most outlandish stories in the history of the American West, became the joint obsession of the entire creative team, and then expanded to the show’s very loyal fans in New York. We’re so excited that now MTI is going to spread it around the country and the globe, so that everyone can become obsessed with the almost-impossible-to-believe story of what happened to Elmer and the question of what it all means,” shared Moses, Yazbek and Della Penna. 

Dead Outlaw premiered in 2024 at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City and would go on to have its Broadway debut in 2025 at the Longacre Theatre. The show won the Drama Desk, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Musical before transferring to Broadway, where it earned seven Tony Award nominations including Best Musical. 

The entire musical was recorded by Audible, featuring the original cast including Tony nominee Andrew Durand as Elmer McCurdy. The recording includes the musical’s complete score and all dialogue, in the style of a radio play and can be listened to here. 

Drew Cohen, MTI’s President and CEO said, “Dead Outlaw is exactly the kind of show that reminds you why musical theatre matters. It is bold, original, and unlike anything else. David, Erik, and Itamar have created something genuinely unique: a darkly funny, deeply moving American story told through an extraordinary score that audiences won’t be able to get out of their heads. We are proud to welcome Dead Outlaw into the MTI catalogue and cannot wait to see theatres around the world experience the strange, wonderful life (and afterlife) of Elmer McCurdy.”

Licensing and additional information can be found here. International restrictions may apply. 

About Music Theatre International

Music Theatre International (MTI) is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world the rights to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1952 by composer Frank Loesser and orchestrator Don Walker, MTI is a driving force in advancing musical theatre as a vibrant and engaging art form.

MTI works directly with the composers, lyricists and book writers of these musicals to provide official scripts, musical materials and dynamic theatrical resources to over 100,000 professional, community and school theatres in the US and in over 150 countries worldwide.

MTI is particularly dedicated to educational theatre, and has created special collections to meet the needs of various types of performers and audiences. MTI’s Broadway Junior® shows are 30- and 60-minute musicals for performance by elementary and middle school-aged performers, while MTI’s School Editions are musicals annotated for performance by high school students.