In 2008, Kitt teamed with Brian Yorkey to create Next to Normal, a show about mental illness in suburban America. The musical addressed issues such as suicide, drug abuse, and ethics in modern psychiatry. He had met Yorkey while studying at Columbia University, and they had attended the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop as a team. Next to Normal was well received by critics. Kitt won the 2008 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding New Score,Gans, Andrew. "South Pacific Is Big Winner in Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill, May 12, 2008 and was nominated for the Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Music; and Tony Awards for Best Original Score Written for the Theatre and Best Orchestrations for the show.Gans, Andrew and Jones, Kenneth. "Nominations for 2009 Tony Awards Announced; Billy Elliot Earns 15 Nominations". Playbill, May 5, 2009 Kitt and Yorkey shared the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Next to Normal. The Pulitzer Board called it "a powerful rock musical that grapples with mental illness in a suburban family and expands the scope of subject matter for musicals."Hetrick, Adam. "Next to Normal Wins 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama". Playbill, April 12, 2010 Kitt received the 2009 Frederick Loewe Award for Dramatic Composition for Next to Normal from the Dramatists Guild of America.Gans, Andrew. "Ives, Kitt, Pen and Wilson Win Dramatists Guild of America Awards". Playbill, July 20, 2009
