Ira Gershwin
Birth Place: New York, NY
Curtis Wiley, Rema Webb, and More Will Lead HIS NAME WAS BOBBY SHORT Reading at Abingdon Theatre Company (Mar 3, 2026)
Kupferberg Center for the Arts to Present MICHAEL FEINSTEIN’S TRIBUTE TO TONY BENNETT (Feb 26, 2026)
Frank Dain To Reprise A CELEBRATION 24 YEARS IN THE MAKING At Don't Tell Mama (Feb 18, 2026)
BIO
Ira Gershwin, the first songwriter to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize, was born in New York City on December 6, 1896. In 1917 The Evening Sun published his first song ("You May Throw All The Rice You Desire But Please Friends, Throw No Shoes"). Four years later Ira enjoyed his first major stage success, Two Little Girls in Blue, written with another Broadway newcomer, Vincent Youmans. In 1924 Ira and his brother, George, created the smash hit Lady Be Good and went on to continue their remarkable collaboration through a dozen major stage scores, producing such standards as "Fascinating Rhythm," "The Man I Love," "S' Wonderful," "Embraceable You," "I Got Rhythm," "But Not For Me" and others far too numerous to mention. During his long career, Ira also enjoyed productive collaborations with such songwriters as Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, Kurt Weill, Burton Lane and Jerome Kern, with whom he created his greatest song hit of any one year, "Long Ago And Far Away." Ira Gershwin died on August 17, 1983, in Beverly Hills, California.
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Awards and Nominations
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Ira Gershwin, Crazy For You
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Ira Gershwin, Of Thee I Sing
Videos
Exclusive: Watch Montego Glover Sing Gershwin with the New York Pops
by Nicole Rosky - 2024-02-16 15:00:54
VIDEO: First Look At Hershey Felder in GEORGE GERSHWIN ALONE At TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
by Joshua Wright - 2024-02-01 12:50:53
TV Exclusive: The Great Facts of THE GREAT SOCIETY- David Garrison on Richard Nixon and George Wallace
by Nicole Rosky - 2019-11-14 16:01:00
VIDEO: On This Day, April 12- AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Travels To Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - 2019-04-12 11:31:00
TV: BroadwayHD Releases AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Starring Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope
by BroadwayWorld TV - 2018-10-03 08:00:52
Countdown to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS in Theatres: Day Six- S'Wonderful at Bryant Park!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-09-18 09:00:51
Countdown to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS in Theatres: Day Cinq- At the Tonys!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-09-17 09:00:51
Countdown to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS in Theatres: Day Quatre- Opening Night!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-09-16 09:00:51
Countdown to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS in Theatres: Day Trois- Broadway Bound!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-09-15 09:00:51
Countdown to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS in Theatres: Day Deux- Curtain Up in France!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-09-14 09:00:51
Countdown to AN AMERICAN IN PARIS in Theatres: Day Un- Bon Voyage!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-09-13 09:00:51
Une Histoire of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS- In Movie Theatres on September 20 & 23!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-09-20 12:00:48
VIDEO: On This Day, April 12- AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Leaps Onto Broadway
by A.A. Cristi - 2018-04-12 16:23:15
TV Exclusive: Show Stories- Ken Ludwig Explains How He Scrapped a Whole Act to Make CRAZY FOR YOU a Hit!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-02-20 11:27:04
TV Exclusive: Show Stories- Susan Stroman Gives Us the Low Down on How CRAZY FOR YOU Came to Be
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-02-20 16:15:01
News
by Stephi Wild - Mar 3, 2026
Abingdon Theatre Company has announced the cast of an invitation-only reading presentation of the company's first-ever commissioned piece, His Name Was Bobby Short, written by previous Carolyn Halpert Artist-in-Residence Cris Eli Blak.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 26, 2026
Kupferberg Center for the Arts will present MICHAEL FEINSTEIN’S TRIBUTE TO TONY BENNETT at Colden Auditorium on Saturday, March 21 at 8:00 p.m. The concert features Michael Feinstein alongside the Carnegie Hall Ensemble in a program honoring the legacy of Tony Bennett.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 18, 2026
Award-winning vocalist Frank Dain will present 'A CELEBRATION 24 YEARS IN THE MAKING' at Don't Tell Mama on March 1, celebrating his latest album and honoring his late husband.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 17, 2026
Andrew Lloyd Webber, one of the most influential figures in musical theatre, will be honored by Goodspeed Musicals at their 2026 Gala & Auction. He will be honored with the Goodspeed Musicals Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre.
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 5, 2026
Lorna Dallas, one of cabaret's most acclaimed and cherished artists and the recipient of a 2020 Bistro Award for “Consummate Cabaret Artistry,” returns to Chelsea Table + Stage.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 27, 2026
The Manhattan Association of Cabarets will present the upcoming 40th Annual MAC Awards. At the event, MAC will present Lifetime Achievement Awards to two stars of Broadway, television, film and cabaret: Lillias White and Karen Akers.
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 23, 2026
Lyric Opera of Kansas City has announced a series of free community engagement events in conjunction with its upcoming production of PORGY AND BESS. The programs include panel discussions and educational talks examining the opera’s history, music, and cultural impact
by Analisa Bell - Jan 20, 2026
Lyrics of My Life was a sincere and affectionate cabaret that showcases Laura Tashji’s genuine love for performing and her life as a mother. The next performance of the show is back at Don't Tell Mama on Saturday, January 24
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 15, 2026
Genesius Theatre has unveiled their 55th Season, brimming with eight fairies, a vampire, a hobgoblin, two boatloads of pirates, a mess of mermaids, and a runaway heiress.
by - Jan 6, 2026
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is January 6, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
by Stephi Wild - Jan 5, 2026
Four songs by George and Ira Gershwin, Betty Boop, Nancy Drew, and many more are among the intellectual properties that have officially entered the public domain, as part of Public Domain Day 2026.
by Stephen Sorokoff - Dec 22, 2025
Linda Purl, Nicolas King, and Imani Rousselle sing the Gershwin songbook in this 12/21 edition of the bi-monthly series hosted by Deborah Grace Winer. See photos from the night.
by Stephi Wild - Dec 12, 2025
An American in Paris will be performed in Switzerland this month. Original cast members Robbie Fairchild and Max von Essen will lead the cast as Jerry Mulligan and Henri Baurel.
by Richard Sasanow - Dec 8, 2025
When I read that the Met, in the program notes for James Robinson’s production of PORGY AND BESS, called it “a supremely American operatic masterpiece” I couldn’t help but think of Stephen Sondheim’s answer (perhaps apocryphal) when he was asked whether SWEENEY TODD was an opera or a musical: “If it’s done in a theatre, it’s a musical; if it’s in an opera house, it’s an opera.”
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 1, 2025
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 Let's Call the Whole Thing Gershwin.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 19, 2025
This holiday season, the Long Beach Shakespeare Company welcomes audiences into a festive, heartfelt re-imagining of the beloved fairytale with Cinderella's Magical Christmas, written and directed by Terry Hill and produced by Holly Leveque.
by Andrew Poretz - Nov 11, 2025
Juliet Ewing's sold-out CD release show at Chelsea Table + Stage delivered an exciting 75 minutes of some of Gershwin's greatest music, with some interesting choices.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 27, 2025
Penn State Centre Stage, in the College of Arts and Architecture, is presenting “Crazy for You”— music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, book by Ken Ludwig — directed by Christine O'Grady. Learn more!
by Armando Urdiales - Oct 25, 2025
As Houston performing arts ventures grow for the 2025-26 season, Houston Grand Opera surpasses them all with a thrilling 50th anniversary production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Starring powerhouse performers Angel Blue and Michael Sumuel in the title roles, this theatrical staging further cements HGO's monolithic presence not only in Houston but in the world of opera at large.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 24, 2025
xCENTER STAGE RECORDS has released You Fascinate Me So: Phillip Officer Salutes Mabel Mercer in streaming and digital formats. Listen here!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Ira Gershwin has written 48 shows including Two Little Girls in Blue (Lyricist), For Goodness Sake (Lyricist), George White's Scandals [1922] (Lyricist), Be Yourself (Lyricist), Primrose (Lyricist), Lady, Be Good (Lyricist), Tell Me More! (Lyricist), Tip-Toes (Lyricist), Oh, Kay! (Lyricist), Strike Up the Band (Lyricist), Funny Face (Lyricist), Rosalie (Lyricist), Treasure Girl (Lyricist), Show Girl (Lyricist), Girl Crazy (Lyricist), Sweet and Low (Lyricist), Shoot the Works! (Lyricist), Of Thee I Sing (Lyricist), Pardon My English (Lyricist), Let 'Em Eat Cake (Lyricist), Life Begins at 8:40 (Lyricist), Porgy and Bess (Lyricist), Ziegfeld Follies of 1936 (Lyricist), All Points West (Lyricist), Lady in the Dark (Lyricist), The Firebrand of Florence (Lyricist), Park Avenue (Lyricist), Do It Again! (Lyricist), Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill (Lyricist), Mr. Words (Lyricist), A Kurt Weill Cabaret (Lyricist), My One and Only (Lyricist), Gertrude Stein and a Companion (Additional Music), Reaching for the Moon (Lyricist), Crazy for You (Lyricist), The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm (Composer/Lyricist), George Gershwin Alone (Composer/Lyricist), Elaine Stritch At Liberty (Lyricist), Never Gonna Dance (Lyricist), Here Lies Jenny (Lyricist), Here Lies Jenny (Lyricist), LoveMusik (Lyricist), Stairway to Paradise (Sketches/Composer/Lyricist), The Gershwins' An American In Paris (Lyricist), Come Fly Away (Lyricist), Nice Work If You Can Get It (Lyricist), A Night With Janis Joplin (Lyricist), A Star is Born (Music & Lyrics).
Ira Gershwin has been nominated for several awards throughout his career. Some of the notable nominations include the American Express Award for Best New Musical (Olivier Awards) for "Crazy For You" and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Pulitzer Prize) for "Of Thee I Sing". These nominations highlight the recognition and acclaim that Ira Gershwin's work has received in the Broadway industry.
Ira Gershwin has won several awards throughout his career. Some of his notable achievements include receiving the American Express Award for Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards for "Crazy For You." He also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for "Of Thee I Sing." These awards recognize his talent and contribution to the Broadway industry.
Videos