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‘War Paint’ at Goodman: Arden and Rubinstein clash in musical battle for cosmetic queenship

Aug 4, 2016 – 9:37 pm
War Paint Goodman Theater The Goodman Theatre production of the new musical War Paint, which stars two-time Tony Award winners Patti LuPone ( Evita, Gypsy) and Christine Ebersole ( 42nd Street, Grey Gardens) as Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden, respectively, begins previews June 28 prior to an official opening July 18 at the Chicago venue. 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 June 28 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. 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).

Review: To put – what is the phrase? – the best face on it, the new musical “War Paint,” now in its world premiere run at the Goodman Theatre, is a guilty pleasure, a gossip magazine yarn set to music and legitimized chiefly by the stellar performances of Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole. ★★★