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FIFTY FIFTY released their newest EP, ‘Day & Night,’ and the group shares the inspiration behind the concept album, how they created the music video for “POOKIE” and more! What do you think of FIFTY FIFTY’s ‘Day & Night?’ Let us know in the comments! FIFTY FIFTY: For ‘Day & Night,’ our album ‘Day & […]
One of the most acclaimed new musicals on Broadway right now has all the charm of a corpse — literally.
The unlikely subject of Dead Outlaw is the life — and death — of Elmer McCurdy, a late 19th-century ne’er-do-well who came to an early end but whose corporeal form enjoyed a bizarrely long afterlife as a well-preserved (well, for a time) traveling oddity. On paper, it might not sound like typical musical fare, but thanks to an expert creative team — led by co-composers David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna, director David Cromer and writer Itamar Moses — Elmer’s tale becomes not just strangely humorous and poignant but deeply thought-provoking.
Yazbek has a résumé stacked with great musical adaptations of films — including The Full Monty, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Tootsie and The Band’s Visit, the latter of which won him the Tony for best original score. But Dead Outlaw is an increasingly rare breed of show on Broadway these days, based on no pre-existing intellectual property and not driven at the box office by celebrity names above its marquee.
So far, that’s working out well: Dead Outlaw just received a best musical nomination for the 2025 Tony Awards, one of seven nods for the show also including best score for Yazbek and Della Penna’s music, which is performed by a crackerjack band onstage. Yazbek is rarely working on one show at a time — among many overlapping projects, he’s also creative consultant on the Tony-nominated Buena Vista Social Club — but he and Della Penna took the time post-opening to talk to Billboard about Dead Outlaw and why often, on Broadway, smaller is better.
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How did you become aware of McCurdy’s crazy story in the first place, and how did you know it would lend itself well to musical form?
David Yazbek: The answer to the second part of that question is not until basicallyopening night (laughs). I heard the Elmer McCurdy story like 30-something years ago; when his body was discovered in 1976 by The Six Million Dollar Man TV crew it was a national story briefly, and I think a college friend’s mother sent him clippings about it. He told me the story and it really stuck, especially the themes of identity and death and mortality and greed and fame. For years and years, anyone who heard the actual true story was just amazed that it actually happened. And one of the people I told it to eventually was Erik, who I was in a band with and had written some songs with, and he got hooked.
Erik Della Penna: It was just such an odd story that it’s immediately compelling — anybody I tell this story to is immediately interested. I consider myself a student of American music and of history in general, so this kind of hit all my buttons for those interests
Yazbek: And those factors don’t make it an obvious thing for a musical or a play or whatever, but…
Della Penna: I feel like a musical is sort of the best way to tell the story. Theater really succeeds when it in some way represents an otherworldly environment, and there’s only scant facts in the Elmer McCurdy story. So it’s the perfect way to present them and to really show the depth of it, and not just the cold facts — to bring some humanity to it and relatability.
Yazbek: We both had the instinct that that would be the way to tell the story, and that we could write the songs to tell the story. And, you know, I guess we’re right. So far.
Erik Della Penna (left) and David Yazbek
Jennifer Small
The ideas it brings up about achieving fame and notoriety at any cost — about this very American obsession with being remembered for something, anything — feels especially timely…
Yazbek: I have his memory of when I was maybe 15, I wrote a short story for a class, and it was kind of about that ephemeral idea that for some reason being remembered will afford you some degree of immortality. It’s just another f–king illusory comfort, but it really does drive people, sometimes for their entire lives — this idea of, “Oh sh-t, I’m gonna die. But wait a minute, I’ll be remembered! I’ll have a legacy!” Even the word legacy is dangerous. It’s why some people amass much more wealth than they should and put their name on buildings.
Della Penna: It doesn’t even work with buildings. Like, [New York’s] Alice Tully Hall is now David Geffen Hall, so what happened to Alice Tully? Now we all forget about her?
The onstage band is central to the show. Did you have a particular sonic palette or influences you were drawing upon in writing the music?
Della Penna: I think Yazbek asked me because my musical interests were in early 20th century American music…
Yazbek: That’s pretty accurate. I don’t read reviews, but people keep throwing little bits at me, and [the New York Times review] was referencing an album of mine called Evil Monkey Man, and Erik is all over that album, and just like in this show, he’s playing lap steel, different electric and acoustics, and there’s some banjo. That’s sort of at the root of all of this: Erik and I are both capable of being very eclectic in our songwriting. We both love this genre — I don’t want to call it Americana, but like you just said, that early 20th century American music…
Della Penna: And that includes Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jimmy Rogers…
Yazbek: And all of that stuff is very apropos for this show. The show is 100 years of American history. And from the very beginning, we sort of said, “Let’s Lennon and McCartney this” — in other words, let’s not be counting bars and who wrote what, let’s go all in, and that was part of the fun of it.
Though you do have two standout performances in central roles — Tony nominees Andrew Durand as Elmer and Jeb Brown as the narrator and bandleader — this truly feels like an ensemble piece. The cast is a band too, in a way.
Della Penna Absolutely — the cast as a band, that’s right. We were thinking about that for a while, getting a star in there [as] the narrator. I thought that would be more guaranteed juice for this to move [to Broadway]. But I also felt bad that it was sort of a cop out for the quality of the piece and the quality of the music. So I’m glad where it landed.
Yazbek: Yeah, me too. I was talking to somebody, maybe one of our producers, about how there’s the artistic currency of a show, but then there’s also, like, the currency for marketing the show itself. And to me, the currency for marketing the show is quality with a capital Q. The star of the show is how great everyone is who’s in it, and its uniqueness and its depth. Like, can’t you market that? (laughs)
Dead Outlaw
Matthew Murphy
Dead Outlaw started out at New York’s Minetta Lane Theater as part of Audible’s theater series there. How did that help launch the show?
Yazbek: There are several independent theaters, regional and local, that should have just immediately said, “Oh, the Band’s Visit guys. Oh, this music, oh, this story. Yeah, sure, here’s a slot.” And for some reason, I guess because we didn’t have a star and it wasn’t [preexistent] IP, they didn’t do it. I’ve had at least two artistic directors tell me how much they regret not doing it, which is very satisfying. But it was [Audible’s] Kate Nathan who said, “Oh, I think we can do this. I think we want to do this.” And as the budget grew, she just saw us through the development. That takes vision.
David, you’ve done big, splashy shows, and you’ve done smaller shows like this one. As creators, does doing a smaller-scale show allow you to do something that a big budget spectacle doesn’t as much?
Yazbek: Part of it is like independent film versus studio films. There are producers out there who don’t really understand how to bring quality, other than just bringing the big flying helicopter or whatever the money can buy. There are economic exigencies to putting up a show on Broadway and keeping it running. And from the very beginning [with Dead Outlaw], I had that in my head. When we first were thinking, “Oh, well, let’s just do this as a band show with one narrator, and that narrator’s in the band” — to me, that was like, how could you say no to that? It’s just got to be good, but it’ll also be so inexpensive that you could put it in a playhouse and it could run as long as people want to see it without us having to charge $800 a ticket. Sometimes great art is done with a limited palette, as opposed to with anything you want. How much value is there in seeing these eight performers do 60 parts, and they’re great? Like, that’s f–king theater right there.
KATSEYE dropped their new single “Gnarly,” and they ate and left no crumbs with the new choreography for the song. Keep watching for all the details on KATSEYE’s new song! What do you think of “Gnarly”? Let us know in the comments below! Tetris Kelly: Gang gang! The girls are back, and we’re giving you […]
This is partner content. Ariat hosted an exclusive event featuring a showcase of their latest fashion, a captivating performance by Annie Bosko, and delicious food. Stay tuned for an inside look at Ariat’s presence at Stagecoach! Narrator: Stagecoach isn’t just about the festival, it’s also about all the amazing events, like the exclusive brunch at […]

WWE’s WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas showcased the best wrestlers and musicians. From meet-and-greets with fans to Travis Scott’s appearance, fan opinions on John Cena and Cody Rhodes, and catching up with Bianca Belair before SmackDown, keep watching to catch everything you missed during the big weekend!
Were you at WrestleMania 41? Let us know in the comments!
Fan 1:It’s my first mania. I had to, I saved so much, went through so much, just to get here. And you know, the payoff is good.
Carl Lamarre:They were just like, “Yo, if we see New Day, we might have to jump.”
The New Day:For what? Who gonna jump us? Who gonna jump us? They can barely get off the couch how are they going to jump at anybody? Who said that?
Fan 2:Travis Scott is a b—h.
Fan 3:These fans. I mean, they’re the best in the world. I mean, they’re so passionate about everything that happens around WWE.
Excision, or Marilyn Manson because it’s angry and sexy.
Carl Lamarre: I love that. We spent the week in Las Vegas for all of the WWE activities before and after the main event. What’s going on y’all? I am deputy director of R&B/hip-hop, Carl Lamarre, and we are here live at WrestleMania in Las Vegas at WWE World. Billboard kicked off WrestleMania week on Thursday at WWE World. Think of it like Comic Con for wrestling fans. Wrestlers were signing top cards and belts. You could walk down the ramp to your favorite superstar’s entrance. Some pros were even giving wrestling demos in the ring. You could also catch a live podcast recording and thank John Cena for his 25 years in wrestling. Fanatics hosted a Make-a-Wish event with superstar wrestlers Tiffany Stratton and Braun Strowman in attendance.
Tiffany Stratton:I love the kids. That’s, like, my favorite part of being a superstar is getting to meet them and, like, do stuff like this, where they get to do their own entrances.
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Beyoncé kicked off her Cowboy Carter Tour in L.A. at SoFi Stadium on Monday night, and we’re taking you inside the highlights of the night. From Rumi making her debut onstage to Beyoncé performing her classic hit “Crazy In Love,” keep watching for more! Were you at the opening night of the Cowboy Carter Tour? […]
Paris Hilton graced Stagecoach 2025, and the pop queen shared how she prepped for her huge set, the details of her remix album, ‘Infinite Icon,’ and more!
Are you excited for Paris Hilton’s remix album? Let us know in the comments!
Tetris Kelly: We’re out here sliving with one of our favorite pop queens, Paris Hilton. How are you?
Paris Hilton: I am amazing right now. That was so much fun.
I mean, we gotta talk about how much fun it is. But let me tell you, you had one of the hottest sets at Stagecoach because Lance Bass from *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, Shaboozey, me, we were all outside. We couldn’t even get in Paris.
I heard there was 1000s of people trying to get in.
We were desperately trying to see your set, and you killed it. Brought Lizzo out. How was that?
I love her so much. She is so kind, lovely, talented, beautiful, amazing. Her new single is so sick. And it was just so much fun, feeling the energy and how excited everyone was. And I’m just so proud.
And I mean, you’ve been killing your festival season in general. You also popped up and surprised everybody at Coachella. So how do you prepare to, like, come to these festivals and put on a show like that?
I’ve actually been preparing this set for the past three months. So I’ve been researching, finding the best remixes of every song, remixing my songs, everything. So I want it to be very special and unique. And the outfit like this is from THEBLONDS, like it was a whole thing. And then my dancers, I’m just so grateful to my whole team for helping me put on an iconic show.
Keep watching for more!
Stagecoach 2025 brought out the hottest country stars, including Jelly Roll, Shaboozey, Jessie Murph and more. We got to catch up with all of the country stars and even some non-country musicians including Paris Hilton and Nelly. We take you through the highlights of each day and our interviews with the biggest names in country!
What was your favorite part of Stagecoach 2025? Let us know in the comments below!
Jelly Roll:It couldn’t have worked out any better for me. Boozey, Koe Wetzel’s here. I felt like my friend day, kind of, and I’m a Sturgill fan.
Paris Hilton:I heard there were thousands of people trying to get in.
Nelly:I thought everybody was doing a rap festival on Tuesday and then a country festival on Wednesday.
Tetris Kelly:And you were like this isn’t …
Nelly:Yeah, and then I found out that I was receiving blessings.
Jessie Murph:I love them both. They’re my brothers, and I don’t know, it’s really cool to share that moment with them. It’s such a big moment, especially a big moment, especially Jelly like headlining looks crazy. I’m really happy for them both.
Tetris Kelly:From on stage to backstage and all the parties in between, Billboard was all over the desert this weekend for Stagecoach, and we take you there in Billboard All Access. Our weekend actually kicked off Friday morning with a brunch at Ariat House with Annie Bosko, who was about to take the main stage at the Empire Polo Field. Once we arrived on site, the grounds were a vibe, as always, with the iconic ferris wheel and fans filing in for an epic day as we headed backstage.
Hey, I’m happy to be here with you guys. I kind of set you up, well you set yourselves up with your new song, “Finish This Drink.” There’s drinks on the table. I’m just saying, you know, cheers to that. Cheers to the new music.
Brothers Osborne: Cheers!
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Wiz Khalifa just dropped Kush & Orange Juice 2 on April 18, and the rapper shares why he chose to make a follow-up album to the original Kush & Orange Juice. He discusses performing at Coachella, working with J. Cole and Gunna, what fans can expect from his tour, his thoughts on being compared to Snoop Dogg, not realizing Blacc Hollywood went No. 1, his role in the legalization of marijuana in New York and more!
What do you think of Kush & Orange Juice 2? Let us know in the comments below!
Carl Lamarre:Yo, yo. What’s going on y’all? I am Billboard deputy director of R&B/hip-hop, Mr. Carl Lamarre. Today for Billboard In Conversation, we got the man, the myth, the legend — Mr. Kush & OJ, Wiz Khalifa.
Wiz Khalifa:What’s up, brother?
Khalifa, man, you know, we’re gonna talk everything from the new album, Kush & OJ, the world tour, if you still got that gym regimen going, still f–king up them weights.
Mhm.
Say less we might my do a bet, a little weight competition.
Push ups. Do functional push-ups.
I would say you lost me to functional push-ups. I don’t know what the s–t is. What’s a functional push-up?
It’s like a three way, like you do scap, you do scap half, and then you do scap full.
You see you throwing words out there I never heard of before, bro.
Like, we gonna stick to this.
It’s some ROTP s–t you hit me with right there, but no real talk. Man, congratulations. This is the 15th anniversary of Kush & Orange Juice, man. Tell me some of your fondest memories making that classic.
Really just like the mode that I was in, like tapped in with the fans being on the road, buying Jordans, wearing chucks, wearing camo shorts every day, literally, like smoking kush and drinking orange juice and just, you know, putting the world onto a whole lifestyle that we were living.
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Stagecoach 2025 was full of the hottest country stars and the best food, and we caught up with Goldenvoice’s Stacy Vee, Jelly Roll, Shaboozey and Guy Fieri to get their take on how the festival has grown over the years.
Did you go to Stagecoach this year? Let us know in the comments!
Tetris Kelly:
I mean, hanging out with Stacey, you’re a legend. You’ve been with this thing since the beginning. So how is it to like come here, have these amazing artists join you and support you?
Stacy Vee:
I mean, it’s pretty amazing to see this collection of personalities, talent partners, bookers, we all come together with a common goal of pushing the genre forward and having a bunch of fun in the process.
Tetris Kelly:
I mean, and Guy, how has it been to work with Stacey over all these years?
Guy Fieri:
Well, she is the queen, the godmother, she’s the one that curates this. I know everybody loves to come to Stagecoach, but all of our careers have been impacted by her vision and awareness of what’s going on in the world, in the world of music, the world of food, the world of, you know, a party and Stagecoach is Stagecoach because of Stacy Vee.
Tetris Kelly:
I mean, you’re rolling up to Stagecoach, man, this is three weekends for you. I’ve been laughing about you and T-Pain. Coachella, Coachella, Stagecoach. How’s it to be here tonight?
Shaboozey:
It’s amazing, man, to be over here with my brother. Man, we just put out a song and and, you know, I’m just really humbled and grateful to be here.
Keep watching for more!