The Cast of 'Dead Outlaw' Just Took a Stand Against the Trump Administration

Andrew Durand and Julia Knitel in Dead Outlaw Matthew Murphy

by Chris Peterson, OnStage Blog Founder

Theatre, at its best, isn’t just about entertainment. It’s about values. It’s about voice. And this week, the cast and creators of Dead Outlaw made it loud and clear: some things are more important than a performance.

The Tony-nominated musical, which has been building serious buzz this season, was scheduled to perform at the Library of Congress on May 12 to celebrate the show being included in the Library’s permanent collection. That’s a huge deal — a Broadway musical preserved alongside the country’s most significant cultural artifacts.

But that performance isn’t happening anymore.

Why? Because just days before, President Trump abruptly fired Dr. Carla Hayden, the first woman and first African American to ever serve as Librarian of Congress. No explanation. Just a cold, bureaucratic email from the White House. After eight years of visionary leadership, she was dismissed without so much as a press conference.

And the Dead Outlaw team said: Absolutely not.

In a public statement, they wrote: “Regretfully, the Broadway production of Dead Outlaw has decided to cancel Monday's planned appearance at the Library of Congress upon learning of the termination of Dr. Carla Hayden.” They went on to call her “a fierce advocate for preserving America's cultural memory” — and they’re absolutely right.

This wasn’t just a protest — it was a gut-check about what we stand for in the arts. And this cast stood tall.

Dr. Hayden was a trailblazer. She championed diversity, launched initiatives to make the Library more inclusive, and actively worked to ensure marginalized voices were given a platform in the nation’s most prestigious archive. And just like that, gone.

And let’s be clear — Dead Outlaw isn’t the only one saying “no thanks.” The cast of Les Misérables announced they wouldn’t perform at the Kennedy Center if Trump attended. And Hamilton, a show that’s practically synonymous with civic engagement, also canceled its scheduled Kennedy Center appearance following Dr. Hayden’s dismissal.

That’s not a coincidence. That’s a community drawing a line.

And while some critics may frame these acts as divisive or performative, they are anything but. These artists are risking industry relationships, media narratives, and major exposure — not for applause, but for principle. That matters. That should be respected.

I know some people will scoff. “Ugh, more politics in theatre,” they’ll say. But art doesn’t live in a vacuum — especially not Broadway. Theatre has always been a mirror, a megaphone, a movement. And when our cultural leaders are treated like disposable pawns, artists have every right — and frankly, a responsibility — to respond.

Dead Outlaw is a show about memory. About whose stories get told. About how we choose to honor our past. So when the person responsible for protecting our collective memory is ousted for no good reason, what better way to honor that show’s message than by refusing to sing under the roof of the very institution that allowed it to happen?

There’s real courage in saying no to a spotlight. And in this case, that courage speaks volumes.

So here’s what I hope happens next: I hope more people ask why Dr. Hayden was removed. I hope artists, students, and citizens keep pushing for accountability. I hope the Library’s staff, who worked closely with Dr. Hayden, feel empowered to speak out. And I hope we continue to see the theatre community use its stage — or step away from it — when it matters most.

Because history doesn’t just remember the outlaws. It remembers who stood up for what was right.