News & Press

FEB. 25, 2024  |   THE WOMEN OF TIN PAN ALLEY

In the spirit of empowering women as Women's History Month approaches, the women of Boston's West End Lyric are proud to present: The Women of Tin Pan Alley, a cabaret and fundraiser, which will feature works that showcase the rarely heard songwriting talents of Kay Swift, Dorothy Fields, Ann Ronell, Dana Seusse, Maria Grever, & Bernice Petkere.

Click here for more information.

 

Dec. 10-12, 2022  |  MISS: Broadway’s Women Songwriters

Two-time Tony nominee Kate Baldwin directs and stars in a show conceived with award-winning composer-lyricist Georgia Stitt celebrating Broadway’s long history of women songwriters and their indelible work, including Kay Swift.

Baldwin brings her vision, voice, and the charisma that has beguiled audiences in Broadway productions of Hello, Dolly!, Finian’s Rainbow, and more. Stitt brings her deep expertise as an artist, advocate, and founder of Maestra Music. Together, along with some of their favorite Broadway stars, they celebrate the women whose contributions are an essential part of the Broadway songbook, from Kay Swift, Mary Rodgers, and Micki Grant to Liz Swados, Carol Hall, Jeanine Tesori, and others. Hear their songs and discover their stories in this rich and illuminating Lyrics & Lyricists show.

Dec. 5, 2022  | Broadway Close Up: A Broadway Musical Herstory

In the standard telling, the history of Broadway musicals is usually white, Jewish and male. But many of Broadway’s greatest songs and musicals would never have come to fruition without significant backstage contributions from women, who often had to struggle to be heard. This concert will spotlight a wide range of writers, producers and other theater artists, including Vinnette Carroll, Betty Comden, Cheryl Crawford, Agnes De Mille, Dorothy Fields, Micki Grant, Teresa Helburn, Carolyn Leigh, Tharon Musser and Kay Swift, focusing on their personal stories as well as their work in such classic shows as Oklahoma!, Sweet Charity, Fine and Dandy and A Chorus Line. Directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge (Tony nomination, Ragtime) and music directed by Dionne McClain-Freeney.

Click here for ticket information

Sept. 3, 2021 |  Music Of Broadway For Cello And Piano

Kay Swift's "Can't We Be Friends?" is included on cellist Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf's outstanding new CD entitled Music of Broadway For Cello And Piano:

Click here to purchase the CD on Amazon Music

Click here to purchase sheet music on Sheet Music Plus

Apr. 21, 2021  |  124th Kay Swift Birthday Celebration

Kay Swift’s 124th birthday celebration took place on April 19th, with the Kaufman Music Center Broadway Close Up Lecture-Concert from Merkin Hall.

Information about the event can be found here.

Nov. 22, 2019  |  Duet for three

The Kay Swift Trust is delighted by the development of DUET FOR THREE, David Caudle's play (with Kay Swift's music) about the love triangle of Kay Swift, James Warburg, and George Gershwin (inspired by Katharine Weber's book The Memory Of All That). The play has had a number of readings along the way to the successful workshop production at Amas Musical Theater, which culminated with three public performances in November, 2019.

The next steps in development of DUET FOR THREE have not taken place as expected, owing to the pandemic.  We look forward to being able to share more information.

MAY 2017  |  ESAIE CID'S JAZZ QUINTET CELEBRATES THE MUSIC OF KAY SWIFT

The Paris-based Esaie Cid Jazz Quintet has recorded two CDs of Kay Swift music, featuring a mix of standards, obscure, and unpublished songs written by Kay Swift over many decades.

The Kay Swift Songbook Volumes 1 & 2 are available for purchase and download by clicking here.

Statement from The Kay Swift Trust 

We are disappointed by the recent novel "about" Kay Swift and her romance with George Gershwin. There is almost no page in the book without absurd errors, inauthentic representations, ignorant cultural, political, and musical references, or offensive characterizations. There are numerous representations that we consider to be anti-Semitic, whether knowingly or ignorantly. For a book attempting to portray the romance between two celebrated musicians, the writing is both inept and tone-deaf. Lyrics by James Paul Warburg/Paul James have been quoted without legal permission or necessary copyright identification in front matter.

Readers who want to know about Kay Swift's life and music are encouraged to read The Memory Of All That by Katharine Weber and Fine and Dandy: The Life and Work of Kay Swift by Vicki Ohl. Other knowledgeable books with a true feeling for George Gershwin's relationship with Kay Swift are The George Gershwin Reader edited by Wyatt and Johnson, George Gershwin: His Life and Work by Howard Pollack, and George Gershwin: An Intimate Portrait by Walter Rimler.  For those interested in reading more about the Warburg family, the definitive (if not entirely accurate or complete) book is The Warburgs by Ron Chernow.