Barbra Streisand Says 'Call Stephen Sondheim' About GYPSY Film

Stage and screen legend Barbra Streisand is in the midst of a sold-out concert tour in Europe, and when asked by a fan in the audience about the status of the GYPSY film, she answered "tell those people who want to know when I will start filming GYPSY to call Stephen Sondheim and ask him."

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Streisand will star in the film as 'Mama Rose' and will also potentially direct the project, which has been in the works now for several years.

Streisand last directed 1996's The Mirror Has Two Faces and has been credited with paving the way for other female directors in the industry. Her directorial debut, 1983's Yentl, caused a stir in Hollywood but opened the door for the likes of Kathryn Bigelow, Penny Marshall, Amy Heckerling, Nora Ephron, Betty Thomas and Susan Seidelman.

Streisand recently launched a sold out tour with dates in Europe and Israel this June. Streisand has appeared on Broadway in I CAN GET IT FOR YOU WHOLESALE and FUNNY GIRL. She has also received a special Tony Award. Her film work includes FUNNY GIRL, FUNNY LADY, YENTL, and NUTS. A lauded performer, she has won numerous awards including the Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy awards.

Gypsy is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee, the famous striptease artist, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with "the ultimate show business mother." It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The character of Louise is based on Lee, and the character of June is based on Lee's sister, the actress June Havoc.

The musical contains many songs that became popular standards, including "Everything's Coming up Roses", "Together (Wherever We Go)", "Small World", "Some People", "Let Me Entertain You", "All I Need Is the Girl", and "Rose's Turn". It is frequently considered one of the crowning achievements of the mid-20th century's conventional musical theatre art form, often called the "book musical".

GYPSY was last seen on Broadway in a production that was first presented by Encores! from July 9 to 29, 2007 with Patti LuPone playing Rose, and direction by Arthur Laurents. Principal casting included Laura Benanti in the title role of "Gypsy/Louise", with Boyd Gaines as "Herbie", and Leigh Ann Larkin as "Dainty June."

Photo by Jim Smeal / BEImages