Harry urges Helena to market her cream as two separate products: one for the daytime and one for the nighttime. When Helena extols her latest face cream, an unfazed Elizabeth reassures Tommy that her iconic pink packaging will always trump pseudo-science. Meanwhile, Helena arrives in Manhattan with her marketing director Harry Fleming and tells him that, while she's never met Elizabeth in person, she still plans to undo her ("Back on Top").
Elizabeth's husband Tommy informs her that Helena Rubinstein plans to relaunch her company in America. A red door beckons them inside Elizabeth Arden's salon, where they are greeted by the Arden Girls and then by Elizabeth Arden herself ("Behind the Red Door"). In 1935 Manhattan, several society women fret over the beauty ideals imposed on them by an unforgiving culture ("Best Face Forward"). Both Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone were nominated for Best Actress in a Musical, David Korins for Best Scenic Design of a Musical and Catherine Zuber for Best Costume Design of a Musical. The Broadway production received 4 Tony Award nominations. Including previews, War Paint played on Broadway for 269 performances. After strong box office returns in the first weeks of its run War Paint failed to remain an audience draw into the summer and in mid-September a Decemclosing date was posted: the musical's closing would in fact be moved up to November 5, 2017, to accommodate LuPone's need for have hip replacement surgery. Additional featured cast includes Dossett, Sills, and Liberman reprising their roles from the Chicago production. On Octoit was announced that War Paint would be produced on Broadway playing at the Nederlander Theatre in previews from Maand officially opening April 6. The musical featured scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Catherine Zuber, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Brian Ronan, orchestrations by Bruce Coughlin, and choreography by Christopher Gattelli. The production starred Patti LuPone as Rubinstein and Christine Ebersole as Arden, with John Dossett as Tommy Lewis, Arden's husband, Douglas Sills, as Harry Fleming, Rubinstein's confidante, and Erik Liberman as Revlon founder Charles Revson. Composer Scott Frankel, lyricist Michael Korie, and bookwriter Doug Wright had previously worked together on the 2006 Broadway musical Grey Gardens.
On Novemthe Goodman Theatre in Chicago announced its hosting of the world premiere of War Paint which under the direction of Michael Greif previewed from Jprior to its official July 18-Augrun. ĭoug Wright noted: "Together, they not only forged an industry, but a way of life.They absolutely shattered glass ceilings as women in industry." Frankel, explaining the musical style, said: "I'm a huge fan of music from the 1930s, '40s, '50s and '60s and, without making it a pastiche, I soaked my brain in the fluids of those periods to see what absorbed naturally." Productions Helena Rubinstein, from Poland, "emphasized science", promising an "exotic look." That was "code for Jewish" according to Scott Frankel.
Elizabeth Arden was the daughter of a Canadian farmer and presented her products as emblems of an upper-class life of comfort. The musical relates the rivalry between two important women of the cosmetics industry, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, from the 1930s to the 1960s. 4.2 Original Broadway production (2017).