John Kander
American composer John Kander (b. Kansas City, MO, March 18, 1927) is the musical partner of the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb, who together created at least sixteen Broadway shows, Flora the Red Menace (1965), Cabaret (1966), Chicago (1975), and Curtains (2007) among them.
Date of Birth: March 18, 1927 (99)
Birth Place: USA
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BIO
American composer John Kander (b. Kansas City, MO, March 18, 1927) is the musical partner of the songwriting team of Kander and Ebb, who together created at least sixteen Broadway shows, Flora the Red Menace (1965), Cabaret (1966), Chicago (1975), and Curtains (2007) among them. They also contributed material to fourteen films and television specials over their forty-year association. Independently John Kander supplied the scores to many films, including Something For Everyone (1970), Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Places in the Heart (1984), and Billy Bathgate (1991).
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Bookwriter/Composer/Lyricist
Composer
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Composer
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Awards and Nominations
John Kander, New York, New York
John Kander, The Visit
John Kander, The Visit
John Kander, The Scottsboro Boys
John Kander, Curtains
John Kander, Curtains
winner
John Kander
John Kander, Cabaret
John Kander, Curtains
winner
John Kander
winner
John Kander, Chicago
John Kander, Steel Pier
John Kander, Steel Pier
John Kander, Cabaret
John Kander, Kiss of the Spider Woman
winner
John Kander, Kiss of the Spider Woman
John Kander, Kiss Of The Spider Woman
winner
John Kander, Kiss of the Spider Woman
John Kander, Kiss of the Spider Woman
John Kander, The Rink
winner
John Kander, Woman of the Year
John Kander, Chicago
John Kander, The Act
John Kander, Chicago
John Kander, The Happy Time
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John Kander, Cabaret
winner
John Kander, Cabaret
Videos
Video: Milwaukee Rep Releases Trailer for THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND
by Michael Major - 2026-09-17 13:51:27
Video: THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND Cast Performs 'Maybe This Time' at Milwaukee Rep
by Joshua Wright - 2026-08-28 10:42:42
Photos/Video: Korean Pop Star Ivy Takes Her First Bows In CHICAGO On Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - 2026-08-17 23:18:05
Video: Mark Ballas Returns to CHICAGO on Broadway; Derek Hough Delivers Opening Monologue
by A.A. Cristi - 2026-07-20 23:43:15
Video: Watch Matteo Lane Perform 'Razzle Dazzle' in CHICAGO on Broadway
by Michael Major - 2026-07-08 13:10:32
Exclusive: Watch Elizabeth Stanley's Rendition of 'Sing Happy' for LIZA! AT 80
by Luka Vonier - 2026-06-22 10:06:52
Video: LIZA WITH A 'Z Concert Film Now Available to Stream for Free
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-06-18 11:12:00
Video: CHICAGO's Newest Star Krysta Rodriguez Takes Her First Bows
by A.A. Cristi - 2026-06-15 23:13:55
Video: Mark Ballas & Whitney Leavitt Perform 'We Both Reached For the Gun' in CHICAGO
by Michael Major - 2026-04-14 12:58:43
Video: Watch Mark Ballas Sing 'All I Care About Is Love' in CHICAGO on Broadway
by Michael Major - 2026-04-09 12:47:01
Video: Mark Ballas Shares How DANCING WITH THE STARS Performance Led to CHICAGO
by Josh Sharpe - 2026-04-08 14:06:52
Video: Mark Ballas and Whitney Leavitt Take First Bows Together in CHICAGO On Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - 2026-04-06 23:04:12
Video: Whitney Leavitt Gets Tattoo to Celebrate Breaking CHICAGO Ticket Record
by Michael Major - 2026-03-18 16:25:40
Video: Watch Alex Newell Sing 'When You're Good to Mama' in CHICAGO
by Michael Major - 2025-11-25 13:40:31
Video: Diego Luna on How KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Is a Celebration of Cinema and Theater
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-10-11 14:00:20
Video: Tonatiuh Is Fulfilling Musical Theater Dreams in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-10-12 14:00:20
Video: Bill Condon on How KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Completes the CABARET and CHICAGO Trilogy
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-10-10 15:13:51
Video: Jennifer Lopez New Musical Clip from KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN on THE TONIGHT SHOW
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-10-08 11:12:13
Video: Jennifer Lopez Opens Up About Seeing Her First Broadway Show
by Josh Sharpe - 2025-10-06 13:44:57
News
by Stephi Wild - Sep 25, 2026
Rise Up! HAMILTON: The Anthology compiles a decade of musical history in 7LP and 5CD limited-edition sets, featuring the Original Broadway Cast Recording, THE HAMILTON MIXTAPE, and HAMILDROPS: The Complete Collection.
by Stephi Wild - Sep 24, 2026
The Broadway production of CHICAGO will extend the run of former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Reece Weaver in the role of Roxie Hart at the Ambassador Theatre due to demand.
by Michael Quintos - Sep 22, 2026
To kick-off the 2026-2027 run of their often Broadway-centric Cabaret Series, Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa tapped not only a proven Broadway star, but an OC native, too for a triumphant homecoming concert: Krysta Rodriguez. Marking her Center cabaret debut, Rodriguez performed to rapturous crowds for three consecutive nights at the Samueli Theater from September 10-12, 2026.
by Michael Gioia - Sep 25, 2026
Music supervisor and orchestrator Sam Davis exclusively tells BroadwayWorld how he’s freshening up ‘The Fantasticks’ for Broadway for its first production on the Great White Way.
by Michael Major - Sep 17, 2026
Milwaukee Repertory Theater shared a trailer for THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND, its Kander and Ebb revue running in the Stackner Cabaret through October 25.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 17, 2026
Gulfshore Playhouse has revealed the cast of The World Goes 'Round, a celebration of the music of Tony Award-winning songwriting team John Kander and Fred Ebb.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 15, 2026
Songbook Sundays, created and hosted by Deborah Grace Winer celebrating the American Songbook will continue at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club with LIFE IS KANDER AND EBB.
by Emilia Ruiz de Somocurcio - Sep 15, 2026
El musical de Broadway se presenta en una nueva producción de José Llano Presenta, con Karla Fatule, Robmariel Olea y Javier Grullón al frente del reparto.
by Keith Gray-Dozal - Sep 14, 2026
What did our critic think of 'THE WORLD GOES ‘ROUND: THE SONGS OF KANDER & EBB' at Milwaukee Repertory Theater?
by Annette Stolt - Sep 10, 2026
Chicago at Oscarsteatern is the best version I've seen. Superb in every detail,
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 9, 2026
TheatreZone and Florida Gulf Coast University collaborate on a joint production of the Kander and Ebb musical, uniting FGCU students with professional Actors' Equity performers at FGCU TheatreLab in Fort Myers.
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 9, 2026
Shaina Taub, Michael R. Jackson, Julia Riew and more Fred Ebb Award winners will be featured in Prospect Musicals’ CELEBBRATION concert at Symphony Space on October 8, hosted by Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba.
by Adela González Pérez - Sep 9, 2026
El aclamado musical reabre sus puertas en el Espacio Delicias transformado en un renovado e inmersivo Kit Kat Klub
by Stephi Wild - Sep 8, 2026
Professional dancer and TV star Reece Weaver officially made her Broadway debut as “Roxie Hart” in Chicago. Check out photos and video of her first curtain call here.
by A.A. Cristi - Sep 3, 2026
Marshall Opera will celebrate composer Adolphus Hailstork's 85th birthday year with an October 13 concert at Merkin Hall featuring Nicoletta Berry, Maria Brea, Joshua Blue and Jorell Williams.
by Bruce Glikas - Sep 4, 2026
Reece Weaver is trading in blue and white for black and red! Direct from the hit Netflix series “America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,” professional dancer and TV star Reece Weaver will make her Broadway debut as “Roxie Hart” in Chicago. Reece brings her talent and star power to Broadway for the first time.
by Stephi Wild - Sep 3, 2026
Chicago will welcome back Tony and Grammy winner Natasha Yvette Williams in the role of 'Matron Mama Morton' and Red Concepción in the role of 'Amos Hart.'
by Fasika Velasco Gomez - Sep 1, 2026
CABARET llegará a Barcelona en febrero de 2027 con una configuración adaptada al Teatro Coliseum, localidades sobre el escenario y una propuesta que busca introducir al público en el universo del Kit Kat Klub.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 31, 2026
Watch Lissa deGuzman perform “All That Jazz” as Velma Kelly in Broadway's Chicago. The Wicked and Aladdin alum began performances in the Tony Award-winning revival on August 31. Check out the video.
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 31, 2026
5-Star Theatricals announced full casting for LES MISERABLES, closing out its 2026 season at the Fred Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks, with direction by Doug Kreeger and musical direction by Anthony Lucca.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
John Kander has written 33 shows including A Family Affair (Bookwriter/Composer/Lyricist), Flora, the Red Menace (Composer), Go Fly a Kite (Composer), Cabaret (Composer), The Happy Time (Composer), Zorba (Composer), 70, Girls, 70 (Composer), An Evening with Fred Ebb and John Kander (Composer), Liza (Composer), Chicago (Composer), 2 by 5 (Composer), The Act (Composer), Joe Masiell Not at the Palace (Material), The Madwoman of Central Park West (Composer), Woman of the Year (Composer), The Rink (Composer), Diamonds (Composer), How Lucky Can You Get? (Composer), And the World Goes 'Round (Composer), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Composer), Steel Pier (Composer), Over and Over (Composer), Fosse (Composer), The Visit (Composer), Curtains (Lyricist), Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life (Composer), First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb (Composer), The Scottsboro Boys (Composer), Come Fly Away (Composer), The Landing (Composer), Kid Victory (Music, Story), The Beast in the Jungle (Composer), New York, New York (Music).
Outstanding New Score (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for New York, New York, Outstanding Music (Drama Desk Awards) for The Visit, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for The Visit, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for The Scottsboro Boys, Outstanding Lyrics (Drama Desk Awards) for Curtains, Outstanding Music (Drama Desk Awards) for Curtains, Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre (Drama League Awards), Outstanding Musical Production (Olivier Awards) for Cabaret, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Curtains, The American Express Tribute (Helen Hayes Awards) for , Outstanding Musical Production (Olivier Awards) for Chicago, Outstanding Music (Drama Desk Awards) for Steel Pier, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Steel Pier, Best Musical Revival (Olivier Awards) for Cabaret, Outstanding Music (Drama Desk Awards) for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Best Musical (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for Kiss of the Spider Woman, The American Express Award for Best New Musical (Olivier Awards) for Kiss Of The Spider Woman, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for The Rink, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Woman of the Year, Musical of the Year (Olivier Awards) for Chicago, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for The Act, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Chicago, Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for The Happy Time, Best Musical (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for Cabaret and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Cabaret.
- Distinguished Achievement in Musical Theatre (Drama League Awards) - The American Express Tribute (Helen Hayes Awards) - Outstanding Musical Production (Olivier Awards) for Chicago - Best Musical (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for Kiss of the Spider Woman - Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Kiss of the Spider Woman - Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Woman of the Year - Best Musical (New York Drama Critics Circle Awards) for Cabaret - Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre (Tony Awards) for Cabaret
