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Read the press release here.

Barbra Streisand Impersonators Welcome Diva to her Home Borough

By Janet Upadhye | October 8, 2012 11:06am

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Brooklyn native Barbra Streisand has never performed professionally in her home borough. But on Oct. 11 and 13, the icon is playing Barlcays Center, gracing the borough with her talents for the first time in her long career.

And what better way to welcome 'The Way We Were' star than with a parade of Barbra Streisand impersonators in Downtown Brooklyn?

"For too long, an impersonator was the closest we could get to the real thing. Now, with not one but two Barbra Streisand shows at the Barclays Center, ‘happy days are here again’,” Borough President Marty Markowitz said in a press release. “From the Streisand wannabes in this competition to the Brooklyn wannabes all over the world, today, we all just wannabe sitting in the front row for Babs’ triumphant return to Brooklyn.”

In the hours before Babs' anticipated performance, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership is hosting a Streisand impersonator contest, and the winner will score two free tickets to her show.

The show will be hosted by professonal Barbra impersonator, Gayle Robbins, and for the vocally-inclined performers, a piano will be on hand to play Barbra's most famous songs including Don't Rain On My Parade, Evergreen, On A Clear Day, and The Way We Were.

And after the impersonator show, the real thing kicks off a few blocks down Flatbush Ave.

"Brooklyn to me means the Loews Kings, Erasmus, the Yeshiva I went to, the Dodgers, Prospect Park, great Chinese food," Streisand said on her website. "I'm so glad I came from Brooklyn‚ down to earth. I guess you CAN come home again."

Registration for the contest begins at Albee Square at 3 p.m. on Oct. 13.  More details are available on the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership website.