Musicals by Kander and Ebb – A Full List of Their Major Works
John Kander and Fred Ebb were an extremely successful songwriting duo who together created one musical theatre hit after another. And for your convenience, here is a full list of the classic and ground-breaking musicals by Kander and Ebb, sorted chronologically.
* Scroll down for a list of musicals written by John Kander with other lyricists and writers.
To enhance your experience, pop on Theatre Trip’s playlist – “The Best of Kander & Ebb”➝.
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Kander and Ebb Musicals
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: George Abbott, Robert Russell, David Thompson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1965)
Flora, the Red Menace was the first collaboration between John Kander and Fred Ebb. The original production featured Liza Minnelli, which was also her Broadway debut.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joe Masteroff
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1966)
Based on John Van Druten’s play, I Am a Camera, Cabaret turned into a major Broadway hit during its first run. This musical focuses on the Kit Kat Klub in 1931 Berlin.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: N. Richard Nash
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Although not as commercially popular as Cabaret, The Happy Time did quite well during its first run. This musical took home three Tony Awards and was nominated for seven.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Joseph Stein
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1968)
Zorba! was adapted from Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel, Zorba the Greek. Sharing the story of friendships and relationships on the island of Crete, the original production ran for 305 performances and was later revived in 1983.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: David Thompson, Norman L. Martin
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1971)
Adapted from Peter Coke’s 1958 play (Breath of Spring) by Joe Masteroff, 70, Girls, 70 tells the story of a group of fur-stealing senior citizens in New York. The original production ran for just 35 performances.
Music: John Kander Lyrics/Book: Fred Ebb Book: Bob Fosse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Set in Chicago during the 1920s, Chicago was and is one of Kander and Ebb’s most successful musicals. The original production ran for 936 performances, and it has been revived and produced elsewhere countless times since.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: George Furth
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1977)
The Act is unique in that it was written for the specific purpose of showcasing the talents of Liza Minnelli, who plays a fading film star in search of a comeback.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Peter Stone
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1981)
Woman of the Year tells the story of a married cartoonist and TV news personality who struggle with the balance between their careers and their marriage. This musical won four Tony Awards and was nominated for two.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Although The Rink ran for 204 performances and featured both Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera, the reviews were unfortunately not the most positive. The Rink tells the story of the owner of a run-down roller-skating rink.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Concept: Scott Ellis, Susan Stroman, David Thompson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1991)
The World Goes ‘Round is a musical revue highlighting the past musical works of Kander and Ebb. This revue went straight from Off-Broadway in 1991 to a U.S. tour in 1992.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1992)
Based on Manuel Puig’s novel El Beso de la Mujer Araña, Kiss of the Spider Woman was a major success in its original Broadway run. It was the winner of seven Tony Awards (including “Best Musical”) and nominated for an additional four.
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: David Thompson
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Steel Pier ran for just 76 performances and faced mostly mixed reviews. But fun fact – Kristin Chenoweth actually made her Broadway debut in the original run!
Music: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2001)
The Visit was one of the last collaborations between Kander and Ebb before Ebb’s death in 2004. The premiere was in Chicago in 2001, but it didn’t open on Broadway until 2015.
Music/Lyrics: John Kander Lyrics: Fred Ebb Lyrics/Book: Rupert Holmes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Based on Peter Stone’s book, Curtains is a mystery comedy that takes place in a theater. The original production was nominated for eight Tony Awards, winning one. Unfortunately, Fred Ebb’s death occurred during the creation of this musical, and he was not able to see the project through to the end.
Music/Lyrics: John Kander, Fred Ebb Book: David Thompson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Based on the true story of the Scottsboro Boys trials, this musical ran for just two months. The project was initially begun in 2002 and put on hold after Ebb’s death in 2004. It later premiered in 2010 and was nominated for 11 Tony Awards in 2011.
Music/Lyrics: John Kander, Fred Ebb Lyrics: Lin-Manuel Miranda Book: David Thompson, Sharon Washington
Musical Type: Contemporary (2023)
New York, New York is a jukebox musical hybrid that weaves together both new songs and older songs from Kander and Ebb scores. The musical received nine Tony Award nominations at the 2023 ceremony.
Musicals by John Kander
The following musicals were written by John Kander, along with other lyricists and writers.
Music/Lyrics/Book: James Goldman, John Kander, William Goldman
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1962)
Music: John Kander Lyrics/Book: Greg Pierce
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Music: John Kander Lyrics/Book: Greg Pierce
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Additional Work by Kander & Ebb
These musicals were written by Kander and Ebb, but don’t have cast albums or a large amount of information available online. The following shows are listed in our Musical Archive.
1976: 2 by 5
1999: All About Us
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Which of these musicals by Kander and Ebb is your favorite?
Or have you ever played a role in any of these Kander and Ebb musicals? Feel free to share in the comments below! And if you like these types of lists, check out the musical database. That’s where you’ll find musicals sorted by composer, theme, setting, and more!
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.