A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors’ American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.
It should come as no surprise that Barbra Streisand allegedly once declared that she never had any idols as a child, because given how unusual her career has been, it’s hard to determine who might have served as her inspiration (Mann). And as the star once put it herself, “I guess if you have an original take on life, or something about you is original, you don't have to study people who came before you. You don't have to mimic anybody. You just have a gut feeling inside, an instinct that tells you what's right for you, and you can't do it in any other way.” To be sure, strong-willed women had populated both cinema and popular culture before Streisand, like Katharine Hepburn and Joan Crawford, but Streisand was unique in her ability to appeal to diverse groups in America. She also arrived at a time when acting roles for women were generally less flexible than they would become by the end of the century, and making her story all the more compelling is that Streisand never met conventional standards of American beauty or acting style, leading biographer William Mann to declare that “Barbra had to believe she was special since no one else did.”
Clearly, there is no denying that if Barbra Streisand possesses considerable talents as a singer and actress, both supported by unshakeable confidence, yet there are also ways in which Streisand has always been insecure, a quality that Stacy Wolf noted when she wrote, “Streisand is gossiped about…as an egomaniacal, control-freak perfectionist on the set (particularly when directing) and as a frail, anxious slip of a girl who solicits opinions from anyone and everyone and still longs for conventional beauty and the approval of a father who died when she was still a small child.” As a result, there is an apparent contradiction between Streisand’s unbounded confidence and her persistent need to receive praise from others. She may be bold enough to resist fashioning her image in ways that emulate her predecessors, but it’s just as necessary to acknowledge that she was prone to the stresses of anxiety. Any complete portrait of the famous star must reconcile the two poles of Streisand, with Streisand the fearless individualist and Streisand the nervous performer forever joined at the hip.
American Legends: The Life of Barbra Streisand explores her life and career, and the way in which her confidence and fragility shaped both. As a star who has succeeded in music and film, Streisand’s singing and film acting are discussed in detail, all with an eye toward explaining the cultural importance of a singer whose voice Glenn Gould referred to as “one of the natural wonders of the age.” Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Barbra Streisand like never before, in no time at all.
The Original Broadway Cast Album of Gutenberg! The Musical! featuring GRAMMY® Award winners and Tony Award® nominees Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells has been released digitally on Friday, May 3. Listen to the album here!
Dan Landon was a Broadway theatre manager for nearly 40 years, working on more than 9000 performances of 50 shows. He has written his memoir, From the Back of the House, which will be published by Ibis Books on June 13, 2024.
Natalie Tenenbaum is a composer, pianist, and music producer recognized equally on the stages of Carnegie Hall, SXSW and Broadway for breaking the boundaries between classical composition, popular storytelling, and improvisational jazz to create acoustic and electro-acoustic concert music for a wide scope of artists.
Are We Dreaming The Same Dream? - a new album from Akropolis Reed Quintet, composer and pianist Pascal Le Boeuf, and drummer Christian Euman - is out now on Bright Shiny Things.
Roy Schreiber has announced the release of his latest book, A Coat of Many Colors: Putting Jewish Characters on Stage. Published by Bookbaby on February 1, 2024, the book is a collection of five diverse plays challenging traditional stereotypes of Jewish characters.
V. de la Cruz has announced the release of her new supernatural thriller, The Enigma Within. This gripping tale explores the depths of the paranormal, weaving a story that will leave readers spellbound.
The cast recording has finished in NYC at famed recording studio EastsideSound Recording Studio for the musical film From Corinne’s Heart. Check out photos here!
Anna Valentine, Managing Director of The Orion Publishing Group, has acquired World rights to Joe Lycett's Art Hole by Joe Lycett, from Hannah Chambers at Chambers Management, in a competitive eight way auction.
Theatre Communications Group and Arena Stage will present a book release celebration for The Long Revolution: Sixty Years on the Frontlines of a New American Theatre by Zelda Fichandler. Learn more about the book and see how to attend the conversation.
Broadway Melody, the sweeping novel of love, ambition and defeat by veteran Broadway professional Jack Viertel is now available for purchase. Learn more about the book!
Michael Ramos has announced the release of his new book, Murders on Death Row. This sequel to Silence in the Silos was released by The Native Publishers in March 2024.
YELLOW SOUND LABEL has released White Girl in Danger: Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording – the new musical from Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Michael R. Jackson. Listen here!
Aakash Chotrani has announced the release of his new book Humans and AI Coexistence: Technology Changing the World Order. Independently published the book is set to launch on March 28, 2024.
Discover the Orchestre National de France's new 3-CD box set, led by Cristian Măcelaru, featuring George Enescu’s full symphonies and Romanian Rhapsodies 1 & 2.
The original cast recording of THE GARDENS OF ANUNCIA, the latest musical from acclaimed composer MICHAEL JOHN LaCHIUSA is now available for streaming.
Jay Moreland, a promising voice in the world of fantasy literature, has announced the release of his latest novel, The Language of Spears: A Soulwasher Novel. This new fantasy takes readers on an epic journey of conflict and redemption.
Available for the first time in the nearly 60 years since they were introduced, the four 1960s vocal albums from Lainie Kazan are now streaming on all digital platforms.
Explore Taiwan's future in THE ALLIANCE OF THE WEAK: VOLUME 1 by Infinity A, a new novel from Baggins & Gamgee that delves into a world where flaws and disabilities redefine societal norms.
BroadwayWorld spoke with Roslyn Kind to discuss her medley 'The Look of Love' and 'The Island'. The musical artist discusses her career, her philosophy on love, and her new music video in this exclusive interview.
Routledge, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, will release the new book from musical theater artist and historian Ben West, The American Musical: Evolution of an Art Form, on April 1, 2024.
GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS will release The Gardens of Anuncia (Original Cast Recording) – based on the recent Lincoln Center Theater production – in streaming and digital formats on Friday, March 22. Learn More about the show!
Need a great book to spring into the new season? This spring, Broadway's best have put pen to paper to turn out theatre page-turners of every kind. From theatre biographies to theatre fiction; theatre books for kids to theatre history; check out our collection of 24 new Broadway books for every theatre lover's spring reading list.