Following a sold-out run at Chicago's Goodman Theatre this past summer, War Paint, starring two-time Tony Award winners LuPone (Evita, Gypsy) and Ebersole (42nd Street, Grey Gardens) as Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, respectively, will arrive on Broadway this spring, beginning previews March 7, 2017, prior to an official opening April 6 at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street).
The world premiere officially opened in Chicago July 18; when it ended its limited engagement August 21, the musical had become the most successful show in Goodman history.
It has also been announced that the design and music team that launched War Paint this summer at Chicago’s Goodman will be returning for the Broadway production: scenic designer David Korins, costume designer Catherine Zuber, lighting designer Kenneth Posner, sound designer Brian Ronan, orchestrator Bruce Coughlin, and music director Lawrence Yurman.“When a new musical comes to Broadway starring a musical theatre legend, it is newsworthy; when it arrives starring two legends, it is an event. The artistry, vocal virtuosity, and raw star power that Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole bring to their performances in War Paint thrilled both audiences and critics during our out of town run this summer,” said producer David Stone in an earlier statement. “The engagement was a sensation, breaking box office records and becoming the Goodman Theatre’s most successful show ever. The creative team was also able to receive valuable feedback from both the press and Chicago audiences, who were in agreement on how to make this terrific musical even better. We all look forward to sharing this sophisticated and hugely entertaining new Broadway musical with New York audiences this spring.”
The Broadway company will also feature Tony nominees John Dossett and Douglas Sills, who will reprise their roles from Chicago: Dossett will again portray Tommy Lewis, Arden’s husband and chief marketing officer, with Sills as the ambitious Harry Fleming, Rubinstein’s clubby confidante and faithful ally.
Additional Broadway casting will be announced shortly. The Chicago staging also featured 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.
Check out photos from the Chicago production below:
The musical is inspired by Lindy Woodhead's book War Paint and the documentary film, The Powder & the Glory, by Ann Carol Grossman and Arnie Reisman. War Paint, according to production notes, “tells the remarkable 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 that would forever change the face of America. From Fifth Avenue society to the halls of Congress, their intense rivalry was ruthless, relentless and legendary—pushing both women to build international empires in a world dominated by men.”
Click here to read reviews from the Goodman production.
The musical will be produced by David Stone and Marc Platt.
For more information visit warpaintmusical.com.
(Updated November 27, 2016)
