Kurt Deutsch began his career as an actor. He got his big break while still enrolled at Syracuse University, understudying the role of Eugene in Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound.” Deutsch appeared on Broadway in Aaron Sorkin’s “A Few Good Men” (the predecessor to the Oscar-nominated Best Picture). But later, Deutsch co-founded Sh-K-Boom Records with his then-wife, actor Sherie Rene Scott; Deutsch took the lead on running the business. The two conceived of it as an independent label that they hoped would become “the United Artists [Records] for the Broadway community.”
In 2004, Sh-K-Boom established their second imprint, Ghostlight Records, to specialize in musical theater cast albums. Ghostlight’s first was the original Off-Broadway cast album of “The Last Five Years” (which co-starred Scott). More than 200 records later — a mix of Broadway artists’ solo albums and cast recordings — Sh-K-Boom was looking for a new distributor. Warner Music Group was interested and acquired Sh-K-Boom in 2017, bringing Deutsch into the fold. Deutsch continued to run the record label while also working for Warner Chappell Music Publishing in the theatrical division, taking care of theater writers like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken, as well as pop writers who want to enter musical theater.
In 2022, Deutsch was named senior vice president of Warner Music Entertainment and Theatrical Ventures. Through Warner, Deutsch develops and invests in shows and provides a connection to recordings via Warner Chappell Music and Warner Music Group. (He’s no longer in the day to day of Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight).
“We are developing films, theater, documentaries — a whole gamut of things,” Deutsch said. “And yes, we’re a recording company and a music publishing company, but — unlike a film studio, where they have the IP — we have songs, artists and legacy. We want to capitalize and help bring that legacy to life.” For example, Deutsch is leading Warner’s development of a James Brown musical (read on to learn more). He’s also recruited younger writers to develop their music for the theater, such as Ross Golan and his musical “The Wrong Man,” which Deutsch is still developing for the stage.
But outside of Warner, Deutsch is also an independent producer. He earned his first lead Broadway producing credit in the 2023-2024 season with the musical “The Notebook.”
“Very early in 2008, I saw the ‘Notebook’ movie and was like, ‘This sings,’” Deutsch remembered. He tried to get the rights from the original novel’s author, Nicholas Sparks, but Deutsch said “Nick Sparks wasn’t ready for his stuff to be turned into musicals yet.” Years later, Deutsch approached producer Kevin McCollum (who also happened to be Deutsch’s neighbor). The two visited Sparks at his South Carolina home to acquire the rights for a musical adaptation. Now, “The Notebook” plays Broadway’s Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.
Deutsch occupies a unique position, straddling the realm of independent Broadway producing and studio-backed producing, and possesses a singular understanding of cast albums as a show’s producer and the record’s producer. Here, he discusses the strategy behind selling “The Notebook,” the best ways to use a show’s cast album, his perspective on Broadway producing today and more.
