Gussied Up & Ready to Go! War Paint, Starring Christine Ebersole & Patti LuPone, Begins Performances

Time to primp! War Paint, starring two-time Tony winners Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone, starts previews on March 7. Directed by Michael Greif, the new Broadway musical about beauty titans Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein will open at the Nederlander Theatre on April 6.

In addition to LuPone and Ebersole, War Paint features John Dossett, Douglas Sills,  Mary Ernster, David Girolmo, Joanna Glushak, Chris Hoch, Mary Claire King, Broadway.com vlogger Steffanie Leigh, Erik Liberman, Barbara Marineau, Stephanie Jae Park, Barbara Jo Bednarczuk, Patti Cohenor, Tom Galantich and Angel Reda. Donna Migliaccio, Jennifer Rias and Tally Sessions.

Featuring a score by Scott Frankel and Michael Korie and a book by Doug Wright, War Paint follows cosmetics trailblazers Elizabeth Arden (Ebersole) and Helena Rubinstein (LuPone), 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.

The musical is inspired by Lindy Woodhead's book, War Paint, and Ann Carol Grossman and Arnie Reisman's documentary film, The Powder & the Glory. Greif, Frankel, Korie and Wright all previously collaborated on Grey Gardens with Ebersole.