Forever Beautiful: WAR PAINT Will Take Its Final Broadway Bows Today
By: Nicole Rosky Nov. 05, 2017
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The new Broadway musical, War Paint, which stars Broadway legends and two-time Tony Award winners Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole together for the first time, plays its final performance today, November 5, 2017, after 236 regular and 33 preview performances.
The musical features a book by Doug Wright, music by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie, choreography by Christopher Gattelli, and direction by Michael Greif. War Paint charts the legendary lives of two trailblazing women - cosmetics entrepreneurs Helena Rubinstein (LuPone) and Elizabeth Arden (Ebersole).
WAR PAINT 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.
Before today's final bows, we're taking a closer look at the show's beautiful Broadway journey...
After a run at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in summer 2016, it was announced that the new musical would transfer to Broadway's Nederlander Theatre in 2017.
Rehearsals for Broadway began in early 2017, and the company met the press in February:
Previews began on March 7 at the Nederlander Theatre:
The cast took their opening bows on April 6:
And they hit the recording studio later that month...
The show earned four Tony nominations, including two for it's leading ladies...
They celebrated 100 performance in July.
The company celebrated their album release this summer:
In September it was announced that the show would conclude its run after the holidays, but on October 13, news broke that it would shutter early because leading lady Patti LuPone had to undergo hip surgery.
Happy trails, War Paint! Broadway will miss you!
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