While majoring in drama at Syracuse University, Susan Howard's peers took great interest in the fact that she had an uncanny resemblance to the diva herself, Barbra Streisand. But it wasn't until she saw the movie "Nuts" in 1987, that she realized she had to do something, so to speak, with her looks.

It was then that she wrote a piece called Dear Barbra, a one-woman show in the form of a letter to Streisand, in which she talks about various uncanny situations that have occurred around her lookalike-ability, interspersed with various Streisand repertoire, Don't Rain On My Parade, The Way We Were, Evergreen, Stony End, and People. It wasn't until she moved to Cape Cod in 1991, that she began looking for a forum in which to perform her written idea.

That opportunity came with the Artistheatre in Orleans.

Howard continued performing Dear Barbra in various other milieus: local television, New Years Eve First Night Celebrations, The Academy Theatre in Orleans, and various local functions. Finding her way into the mainstream of the lookalike milieu, Howard appeared as Babs in New York for a record company Christmas party, a presentation at the Trump Castle in Atlantic City, and private parties at homes, restaurants, corporate events, and hotel openings in the Boston, Providence, RI and Cape Cod areas.

After seeing a well-known male impersonator/illusionist perform his Streisand act, Howard realized that the only way to do her show was to assume the role (and soul) of Streisand whenever she performed. In other words, chuch the Dear Barbra format and litterally become the Star.

She began writing new comedic material and continues to sing traditional Streisand, along with more recent material.

The act is a complete Barbra experience (that won't cost you $300 a ticket!). On Memorial Day, after completing a show at one of the local establishments, Howard was on the sidewalk still working her gig. Everywhere she went it was "Oh my God -- Barbra Streisand!" or "Hey, Babs" or "Hello gorgeous!" When she began to sing As If We Never Said Goodbye, a crowd gathered.

"It was a nice experience -- it's just that nobody thought of turning a hat upside down," Howard mused. "I felt more like Edith Piaf than Barbra. You know, La chanteuse des rues," (the famous Parisian who sang on the streets of Paris).

Howard added to her credits a list of impressive engagements over the next five years, performing at elegant homes, restaurants, country clubs, and corporate events in the Cape Cod, Boston, and Providence areas.

Originally from New York City, Howard now resides in Naples, Florida on the Gulf Coast of Florida continuing to perform as Barbra at a wide variety of venues Nationwide.