Musical Theatre

Barbra Streisand says that Stephen Sondheim would not let her direct and star in a Gypsy movie musical. Although she had written 'a synopsis of how every scene would work' in the movie, Sondheim said it was 'too difficult' for her to take on both roles.

"I wanted to end my career with playing Gypsy," Streisand shared on Howard Stern's Sirius XM radio show today. "I wanted to direct it and I could see every frame and just be in it."

She began working with Sondheim, who wrote the lyrics for the musical, on the structure of the film adaptation, saying that she "adored" working with him on potential changes to the musical.

"That was a very creative time in my life with him, we were both so open to change things and make it new but his same songs but looking at them again and he was so open to change, it was incredible."

However, once it came to Streisand directing the film and starring as Mama Rose, the legendary musical theatre writer would not let her take on both roles.

"You either direct the movie, or you act in it. But you can't do both," she says Sondheim told her, stating that the role was "too difficult."

Although she had written "a synopsis of how every scene would work" in the movie, Streisand's dreaming of helming and starring in the film never came to fruition.

"There are things in life that you can't have. It was very sad for me," she concluded.