Once I tried my hand at writing lyrics, I was hooked. Each song is like a short story or mini-story. From incidental songs in plays, I finally took a chance on writing book and lyrics for full-length musicals. I collaborated with extraordinary composers–Jay Kerr, Allison Tartallia and Arthur Abrams. Below are some samplings from those productions, as well as single songs from one-acts and a song with both lyrics and music by Marianne Speiser, the composer. Some tracks are from studio original cast recordings, others are demos by the composer, and still others are audio taken from the dvd that are not studio quality but evoke the spirit of the show.

War Bonds: “Heaven is Hell Without You” Lyrics by Barbara Kahn, Music by Jay Kerr © all rights reserved. Vocal by Shanara Gabriel. Original cast studio recording.

War Bonds: “Star-Spangled Girl” Kahn & Kerr. ©all rights reserved. Vocal by Shanara Gabriel. Original cast studio recording.

War Bonds: “My Silver Wings” Kahn & Kerr. ©all rights reserved. Vocal by Shanara Gabriel. Original cast studio recording.

The Ballad of Baxter Street: “Fresh Flowers” Lyrics by Barbara Kahn, Music by Nicola Barber. © all rights reserved Vocal by Colette Porteous & company. Original cast studio recording.

The Ballad of Baxter Street: “Rich Folks Go Slumming” Kahn & Barber. © all rights reserved. Vocal by Colette Porteous. Original cast studio recording.

The Ballad of Baxter Street: “The Old Man is Really Dead” Kahn & Barber. © all rights reserved. Vocal by Jocelyn Adams. Original cast studio recording.

Pen Pals “Faith in America” Words & Music by Marianne Speiser. Recording produced by Robert Sands, vocal by Courtney Colletti. © all rights reserved

Crossings Where W.11th Meets W.4th St. Greenwich Village: “Crossings” Lyrics by Barbara Kahn, Music by  Marianne Speiser. © all rights reserved

Law & Order: E.S.L. “What Did It Get Me?”Lyrics by Barbara Kahn, Music by Allison Tartalia © all rights reserved. Demo by composer.

Law & Order: Les LES  “Let the Music In” Kahn & Tartalia. © all rights reserved. Demo by composer.

Pyrates! The CourtShip Chronicles: “Jamaica” Lyrics by Barbara Kahn, Music by Jay Kerr. Vocal by Uzo Aduba.    © all rights reserved. Original cast studio recording.

Pyrates! The CourtShip Chronicles: “Piratically, Feloniously…” Kahn & Kerr. © all rights reserved. Original cast studio recording.

Pyrates! “Moment in Time” Kahn & Kerr. © all rights reserved. Original cast studio recording.

Pyrates! “A Hearty Appetite” Kahn & Kerr. © all rights reserved. Original cast recording.

Thawed: “Let the Water Fall” Lyrics by Barbara Kahn, Music by Allison Tartalia. ©all rights reserved. Demo by composer.

Unreachable Eden: “Welcome to Eve’s Hangout” Lyrics by Barbara Kahn, Music by Arthur Abrams. © all rights reserved. Audio from production.

Unreachable Eden: “Paris Beckons” Kahn & Abrams. Vocal by Robert Gonzales Jr. © all rights reserved. Audio from production.

Unreachable Eden: “Paris Beckons” (reprise) Kahn & Abrams. Vocals by Gusta Johnson and Steph Van Vlack. 

© all rights reserved. Audio from production.

Walking from Rumania “Don’t Look Back” Words Barbara Kahn, Music Allison Tartalia. ©all rights reserved. Demo by composer.