The Messy Parts No to Wall St. and Yes to Broadway (and Tony Awards and heartbreak) with Tom Kitt
Tony Awards, Grammys, a Pulitzer Prize, Emmy Awards. Next to Normal, If/Then, Hell's Kitchen, and NY State of Mind. Tom Kitt traded a Wall St. job offer (and paycheck) to follow his passion, a life making music, but that decision didn't come without great cost. He spent five years developing his first Broadway show, "High Fidelity," and it closed after just 10 days, sending him into months of depression and self-doubt. In this raw conversation, Kitt reveals how creative heartbreak became his greatest teacher, why collaboration and his relationships saved his career, and how saying "yes" to risky projects—including an epic pandemic Times Square performance—keeps him creating against all odds. From getting fired from his first music job to creating Next to Normal. Kitt's story is a masterclass in resilience. He shares hard-won wisdom about navigating brutal Broadway reviews, managing creative input overload, and why failure at any age can still become your greatest launching pad.
Topic Covered (with timestamps):
05:27 – The Morgan Stanley choice: Nine interviews and choosing art over finance
07:19 – Early career struggles: Getting fired as a pivot moment
09:49 – Meeting collaborators: Brian Yorkey and Rita's introductions
12:18 – High Fidelity development: Five years from BMI workshop to Broadway
16:41 – The garage band approach: Cabaret performances and producer discovery
18:38 – When things go wrong: Boston reviews and Broadway closure after 10 days
20:00 – Recovery and community support: Friends reaching out after failure
21:14 – Next to Normal beginnings: Getting back on the horse
22:16 – Saying yes during pandemic: Times Square performance and Billy Joel collaboration 26:05 – Billy Joel impact: Childhood hero and Emmy-winning "New York State of Mind"
27:52 – Collaboration challenges: Working with long-time partners like Brian Yorkey
29:32 – Managing creative feedback: Trusting audience reactions over individual opinions
31:03 – Continuous learning: From SpongeBob to Shakespeare, staying curious
33:03 – Artistic purpose: Creating physical reactions and inspiring others
34:41 – Starting later in life: It's never too late, Billy Porter's example
36:03 – Future dreams: Film scoring and musical television series
36:24 – Rapid fire: Karaoke songs, reading list, and life advice
Mentioned:
Hell's Kitchen, Jagged Little Pill, High Fidelity, American Idiot, Next to Normal, If/Then, “New York State of Mind”: https://www.nycnext.org/ny-state-of-mind
Brian Yorkey, Billy Joel, Billy Porter, Amanda Green, Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Robin Goodman, Walter Bobbie, Green Day, Alanis Morissette, Times Square,
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