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The Tony-winning actresses are joined by John Dossett as Tommy Lewis, Arden’s husband and chief marketing officer, and Douglas Sills as the ambitious Harry Fleming, Madame Rubinstein’s clubby confidante and faithful ally.
Also in the company are Mary Ernster, Leslie Donna Flesner, David Girolmo, Joanna Glushak, Chris Hoch, Mary Claire King, Steffanie Leigh, Erik Liberman, Barbara Marineau, Stephanie Jae Park and Angel Reda.
Due to ticket demand, the production announced that the musical has been extended for a second and final time through August 21 in the Albert Theatre.
War Paint is a world-premiere musical by librettist Doug Wright, composer Scott Frankel, lyricist Michael Korie, choreographer Christopher Gattelli and director Michael Greif. The musical is inspired by the book War Paint, by Lindy Woodhead, and the documentary film The Powder & the Glory, by Ann Carol Grossman and Arnie Reisman.
Frankel, Wright and Korie previously collaborated on Grey Gardens, which starred Ebersole in a Tony-winning turn.
The War Paint creative team includes David Korins (set design), Catherine Zuber (costume design), Kenneth Posner (lighting design) and Brian Ronan (sound design), Bruce Coughlin (orchestrations) and Lawrence Yurman (music director).
War Paint, according to press notes, “tells the story of cosmetics titans Helena Rubinstein (LuPone) and Elizabeth Arden (Ebersole), who defined beauty standards for the first half of the 20th Century. Brilliant innovators with humble roots, both women were masters of self-invention who sacrificed everything to become the country’s first major female entrepreneurs. They were also fierce competitors, whose 50-year tug-of-war would give birth to an industry. From Fifth Avenue society to the halls of Congress, their remarkable rivalry was ruthless, relentless and legendary—pushing both women to build international empires in a world dominated by men.”
For tickets call (312) 443-3800 or visit GoodmanTheatre.org/WarPaint.
