By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – If you want to get a sneak peek at a probable Broadway star in years to come you need to attend the Cutting Edge Theater’s production of “Back to Barbra,” which opens on the Slidell stage this weekend.
“Back to Barbra” opens a two-weekend run on Friday and Saturday nights, Oct. 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. each evening, for the show that will include songs from Barbra Streisand, played by 16-year-old Imogene Hebert.
Hebert, although still a teenager, is an acclaimed singer, actress and tribute artist who brings Streisand to life through her natural voice that resembles the superstar singer. Once in full costume and wig, she appears to be much older than she really is, adding to the believability in the role.
“You don’t have to be a Streisand fan to appreciate Imogen’s extraordinary stage presence, vocal ability and musical talent,” said Cutting Edge Theater owner Brian Fontenot. “She has really taken this role to heart in every way, and I promise it will be a fantastic show.”
There are still a limited number of tickets available for the four-show performance that will include Earl Poole and Emily Roy there to sing the duet songs that Streisand collaborated on.
Hebert is a junior at the New Orleans Centre for the Creative Arts (NOCCA) and is a 2023 national semi-finalist for the National Association for Teachers of Singing, ranking her among one of the top 17 singers in the United States.
She said she has been singing since a very young age and has a goal to make it to Broadway one day.
“I knew I wanted to sing, really since I was three, although I didn’t perform in my first stage show until I was eight when I was in ‘Hairspray.’ Broadway is what fits me because I not only love to act and sing, but I have always loved the costumes and the makeup—everything that goes with performing.”
Hebert speaks rather humbly about her ability, giving a lot of credit for her growth to her vocal coaches.
“Earl Poole has been an amazing vocal instructor, and Emily Roy is a great duet partner,” she said. “I think my improvement is because I have practiced so much for years after I realized it’s actually very hard to become good. That’s why I appreciate my coaches so much. They really helped me improve.”
Hebert has performed in over 30 productions so far in her still young stage career, much of it now at the Cutting Edge Theater once she connected with Fontenot.
“Mr. Brian has helped me a lot, not to mention my mom for doing everything she can to help me,” she added. “And that means staying up until 3 a.m. to rhinestone a turtle shell for a part.”
Hebert has earned a handful of top finishes in Louisiana and Southern Regional musical competitions, including a first-place finish in the Louisiana NATS for 2022, and the Louisiana State Music Rally in 2023.
To prepare for “Back to Barbra” she had to learn 30 Streisand songs, which she acknowledged as a challenging chore.
“I have a pretty good memory, maybe close to a photographic memory, but I learned how to memorize that many words from NOCCA where they teach you to write out the first letter of each word, and try to sing by just looking at that,” she said. “But it works.”
She has never tried out for national TV competitions like The Voice or American Idol since she said her style is more fitted to stage productions.
“When I’m on stage it’s such a joy to perform and see someone in the audience get emotional from something I sang,” she said. “I like it when I can make people feel something.”
Cutting Edge Theater is located at 757 Robert Blvd. in Slidell. Tickets can be purchased by going online to: Cuttingedgetheater.com