Streisand Producing But Not Playing Mame on ABC

Posted/Updated: 27 July 2003 19:27

On August 24, 2000, Variety's Michael Fleming reported that Barbra Streisand has officially informed ABC that she has chosen not to play the title role in the upcoming three-hour Mame TV movie musical for the network. In fact, previously, she never committed to the part but merely indicated through representatives that she was considering it. Barbra will continue in her role as co-executive producer with Cis Corman (their Barwood Films) and Craig Zadan & Neil Meron's Storyline Entertainment, as Variety originally reported in February 1999. Director Rob Marshall, who has since dropped out of the project, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in an April 1, 2001 Sunday feature on the city native that Mame's main attraction for him was Barbra Streisand. Marshall called it "a role for Streisand -- and how many roles are there for her? I know she has a reputation [for being difficult], but she was unbelievably relaxed and open." Eventually, she decided that the role wasn't worth the early morning fittings and makeup, according to Marshall. "I just want to get in the truck and go see movies with Jim," she told Marshall. "So then they went to Cher. I met with her. She's lovely and wanted to do it." However, without Streisand, he viewed it as just another TV movie and withdrew to focus on Chicago, his theatrical film debut.  (May 7, 2001)

Meanwhile, principals involved with the production were reportedly seriously considering Cher among unnamed others on a long list of singer-actresses. USA Today reported on October 15 that Mame will indeed star Cher in the title role with a tentative November 2001 air date.  (October 19, 2000)

On June 14, Christine Baranski, speaking with her hometown newspaper, the Buffalo Evening News, said she really wants to play Vera Charles opposite Barbra Streisand's Mame because of the symmetry it would provide. The Broadway and TV character actress believes she is the first choice for the colorful supporting role in Mame and hopes she lands the part. In the last year, she had to say no to David Mamet, Edward Albee, and Neil Simon, who all wanted to cast her in plays. The night of the newspaper interview, Baranski planned to attend a party at a classmate's house celebrating the 30th anniversary of their school play, which actually was Mame. "I was Mame," explained Baranski. "That was my big thing; that was my senior class project. That's why if I ever got to do Mame with Barbra Streisand, it would have a particular arc to it." The BSMG hopes it works out for all concerned. As of this writing, no official announcement of Streisand's casting.  (June 15, 2000)

As of May 30, speaking of Peter Tolan's revised script, Barwood Films president and Mame's co-exec producer Cis Corman had just anxiously advised Hollywood columnist Marilyn Beck, "I think we're going to get it within the week...I can't wait." This news is consistent with info The BSMG has gleaned from other sources regarding the current status of the Mame TV movie musical project, which has been in development since early 1999. Corman added, "We're doing a major rewrite on it, and from what I hear about all the changes that have been made, they're exactly what we would have wanted." This is perhaps the key determining factor in Barbra Streisand's decision whether to accept the title role. Streisand's close friend and business partner also explained that the concept for this new TV version of the Auntie Mame story is to base it on the classic 1958 theatrical feature of the same name starring Rosalind Russell, emphasizing more of the story while also including musical numbers. Corman warns, "The music is not going to take over."  (June 6, 2000)

In an interview published on May 14 in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, native Pittsburgher Rob Marshall confirms that he will direct Mame as an ABC TV movie musical, which will "probably" star Barbra Streisand. Marshall indicates that agreeing to her first TV movie acting role hinges on Peter Tolan's script meeting her approval. The director says his collaboration with Barbra has been "unbelievably relaxed and open. I know she has a reputation, but this is all about the work. People ask me if I'm ready for her, and I welcome it. I want this experience." Marshall also says that Mame is just one of four projects he has in the works. "I'm in development," he jests. He's also signed to direct a theatrical feature movie musical of Chicago for Miramax. His third project is Enchanted, a Disney romantic comedy that begins with animation and then becomes live action. Fourth is a new Broadway musical based on the movie Hairspray, scored by Marc Shaiman and currently in workshop run-throughs in New York.  (May 15, 2000)

TV Guide reports that Barbra Streisand is "quite likely" to commit shortly to star in the title role of Mame for her own Barwood Films and Craig Zadan & Neil Meron's Storyline Entertainment's co-production, a new three-hour TV movie musical for ABC. In its April 8 issue, Zadan tells reporter Michael Logan that Barbra is just about ready to read Peter Tolan's script, after which her decision is expected. "It wouldn't surprise me if she agrees to star, but it wouldn't surprise me if she said, 'Let's get somebody else,'" Zadan says. Still, an unnamed source "close to Streisand" advises TV Guide that Zadan's public uncertainty isn't warranted - "Barbra is dying to play Mame and is determined to get a script that suits her, even if she has to rewrite it herself." Of course, until she officially signs on and accepts the role, her first TV movie and first musical film in nearly 20 years, speculation will likely continue. Even ABC, which has tentatively planned to air Mame during next November's sweeps period, has joined in. The network would consider substituting Storyline and Disney's other pre-production TV musical, The Music Man in its place, in order to wait for Streisand. Zadan admits that ABC and his company would definitely postpone Mame production if Streisand was currently unavailable but agreed to star perhaps in 2001. "We'd be fools not to wait," he adds.  (April 4, 2000)

Variety reports today that Barbra Streisand's choice director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Peter Tolan (Analyze This) have just signed on to ABC's TV musical, Mame, which is planned to air during the 2000-2001 season of ABC's Wonderful World of Disney. Based on its sources, the trade publication says that it's "all but certain" that Streisand will sign on as well - to star in the title role. Tolan should have a script for her to read once she returns home following her Australian Timeless tour and vacation with her husband. Perhaps during the spring, Barbra will make her decision.  (March 8, 2000)

Back in the November 7 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, director-choreographer Rob Marshall (Cabaret, Cinderella, Annie) spoke of possible future TV movie musical projects and said, "They have talked to me about a few of them. I have a meeting with Barbra Streisand to talk about [her] playing Mame. We'll see if that's in the future or not." Walt Disney Television and ABC will co-produce the film with our without Streisand starring and/or Marshall directing for a world premiere most likely during the 2000-2001 television season, with a reported biggest-ever budget for a telepic.

Speculation has been running for almost a year as to who will star in the well-known title role, which Angela Lansbury created in a brilliant Tony award-winning run on Broadway in 1966. Lucille Ball portrayed Mame in an early '70s musical film which was poorly received. Variety believes that the eccentric Auntie Mame, who brings up her young nephew while exposing him to her "liberated lifestyle," is "custom-made for a star of Streisand's caliber" and hopes that "once a top-flight director is brought in, Streisand will also agree to star in the movie." While Streisand is certainly legendary in movie musicals, she has never participated in a TV musical. Her spokesman told Variety last February, "When the script is delivered, she'll consider it, but she's made no commitment other than to exec produce." Neil Meron told The New York Times in early November, "Barbra is a producer at this point. We haven't done casting yet. That will depend on the script." Craig Zadan thinks they have a terrific script, just written by writing team Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (Parenthood, City Slickers).

If Barbra does ultimately take on the role, it would be her first movie musical since 1983's Yentl and her second Jerry Herman musical, the first being 1969's Hello, Dolly! Herman's Mame ran five years on Broadway and is based on the play Auntie Mame by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. Of course, fans the world over would love to see Streisand in another screen musical.

Barwood and Storyline previously co-produced the Emmy-winning Serving In Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story starring Glenn Close (NBC, 1995). Storyline recently produced the ABC musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1998), presented Diana Ross and Brandy in Double Platinum on ABC last May, and a new TV movie musical version of Annie for ABC in November, which drew critical raves and huge ratings. Barwood and Storyline have been reportedly working on What Makes A Family, a TV movie for the USA Network.  (November 1999)

Copyright © 1996-2001 Mark Iskowitz. All rights reserved.