Early Life
Barbara Joan Streisand was born on April 24, 1942 in Brooklyn. She had a somewhat-difficult childhood, as her father died when she was only 15 months old. She never had more than a “touch-and-go” relationship with her stepfather, and she also experienced turbulence in her relationship with her mother.
Streisand loved performing as a child, but she was discouraged by her mother from pursuing it as a career. Her mother told her that she was not attractive enough to succeed, and that she should concentrate on her studies and settle down with a stable husband. In a reaction that is indicative of her character, Streisand defied this “advice” and began to sing and dance at every opportunity.
She attended Erasmus Hall High School and graduated in 1959. She sang in the school choir, and one of her choir mates was none other than Neil Diamond. After graduation, Streisand decided not to attend college, and instead found work as a nightclub singer and appeared in a number of off-Broadway productions.
Streisand continued to hone her lounge act, and she shortened her first name to its present form in order to be more distinctive. Her act became a hit in Greenwich Village, and her audiences followed her every move. This local attention got her noticed, and she landed a role in the 1962 Broadway production of I Can Get It for You Wholesale. On the heels of this performance, Streisand signed her first recording contract, and her star was on the rise.
Smashing Success
Streisand’s first album, The Barbra Streisand Album, was not only a success, but won two Grammy Awards in 1963. Streisand would win many additional awards for many different performances, and she was fast-becoming a household name. Her act was also becoming popular outside of New York, and Barbra Streisand tickets began to experience high demand.
All in all, Streisand has recorded more than 60 albums and sold tens of millions of copies of her work worldwide. She has also acted both on Broadway and the big screen, and her litany of awards is stunning. Among many others, Streisand has won two Oscars, six Emmys, eleven Golden Globes, ten Grammys, a Tony Award and two Cable Ace awards. She is recognizable everywhere in the world, and her status has allowed her to publicly support several causes, sometimes with a high degree of controversy.
Beliefs
Streisand has been a lifelong supporter of gay rights, as her first performing gig in Greenwich Village was at a gay bar, where she was introduced to the sub-culture and discovered that despite all the dark stories, homosexuals were “just people, like everyone else.” Streisand spoke out loudly against the state of Colorado when voters did not approve a gay rights initiative, and she drew heavy criticism for her stance.
She has also donated time and huge sums of money to help the homeless, those afflicted with AIDS, and many other causes that she feels need attention. Barbra Streisand tickets will allow you to not only hear a legendary voice, but to get to know a person whose beliefs are more important to her than her accomplishments.
