Barbra: The Greatest StarHayes Theatre Co 12:00 am
The only artist with No.1 albums in six consecutive decades. More than 150 million records sold worldwide. Eleven Billboard No.1 albums. An EGOT winner consisting of two Academy Awards, ten Grammys, five Emmys, a (special) Tony Award, as well as nine Golden Globes. And now, a dedicated Hayes Theatre concert dedicated to her career. It’s the one, and only, Barbara Joan “Barbra” Streisand.
If you’re in the theatre world, it’s impossible not to know her name. Outside of the stage, Barbra made her indelible mark in the music industry with her transformative voice and iconic sound. She’s an artist that’s crossed numerous genres and forms, which makes a Hayes Theatre tribute concert to her a perfect remedy for success. And ‘success’ is the most accurate word to use for Barbra: The Greatest Star.
What type of show is Barbra: The Greatest Star?
Barbra takes audiences on a melodic journey through the multitude of hits from Streisand’s career in an intimate evening of the “Best of Babs”. The song cycle journeys from roles she originated in on Broadway (Funny Girl), her numerous albums, iconic film roles (Yentl, Hello, Dolly!, A Star is Born), as well as her other star-studded collaborations with artists such as Celine Dion, Donna Summer and Neil Diamond. There’s enough Streisand here to make you fall in love with her all over again, or give you a crash course in Babs.
Who are the cast and crew of Barbra?
Directed by Brittanie Shipway (Once On This Island; The Pirates of Penzance) and with musical direction by Nicholas Gentile, they've gathered a trio of the most powerful voices in the musical theatre world to honour Streisand, while also clearly considering how each brings a richness to the concert’s orchestrations. Ultimately, each voice serves and honours Streisand’s tone.
Enter Laura Murphy (The Lovers, Zombie! The Musical), Stellar Perry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Lovers) and Tana Laga’aia (Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent) in what may be an early contender for Best Ensemble at the 2026 Sydney Theatre Awards. Between this quartet of Shipway, Murphy, Perry and Laga’aia, audiences are gifted with an evening that feels intimately their own, with each portraying their own slice of Babs throughout.
Perry is, well, stellar in the rock ‘n’ roll stylings of Streisand’s range, while Laga’aia’s soft falsetto takes over piano and guitar seamlessly. Shipway is ‘Broadway Babs’, with a belt that envelops the entire space (Streisand would approve), while Murphy imbues a natural authenticity as the all-rounder Babs (is there anything she can’t do?).
Why is Barbra a five-star production?
Not only is Barbra just an exotically gorgeous joy to listen to, its visual style is so outrageously decadent that we’re given permission to have our cake and gorge on it too. Brendan de la Hay’s tiered purple curtained design gives the space depth and intimacy, plastering the set with arrays of flowers that weave themselves around the three-piece band. Behind, three individual scrims project famous portraits of Babs, while Peter Rubie’s lighting design gives them corporeal shape.
Rubie instills Barbra with a cinematic feel in the sheer scope of his lighting design. A softly projected spot on Laga’aia’s piano version of ‘The Way We Were’ draws you in, while explosive beams of colour produce goosebumps in the final belts by Shipway, Murphy and Perry in ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’. This is design without limitation, while remaining purposeful, poignant and powerful.
Between Shipway and Gentile, there’s a richness in their dedication to Streisand’s music that acts as a foundation at every moment. Between the Broadway belters (‘Hello, Dolly!’), there are mashups that are a musical feast for the ears (‘Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again’), as well as weighty solo pieces (‘Evergreen’). This is clearly made from a deep appreciation and adoration for the woman, the artist and the legacy before them.
Who will like Barbra?
Is it too broad of a statement to say… everyone? Barbra, like its namesake, feels universal in its appeal. Between the full-bodied tones that amalgamate in the quartet of singers, the decadently stylised orchestrations from its three-piece band, and the explosiveness of its lighting and set design, Barbra: The Greatest Star has that magic quality that is sure to please even the most pessimistic of audience members. It’s nearly impossible to rain on this parade.
Four outstanding performers, richly built music, and the Best of Babs all in a tightly orchestrated 75-minute run time? Hello, Barbra!
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