War Paint is a musical with a book by Doug Wright, music by Scott Frankel, and lyrics by Michael Korie, based on Lindy Woodhead's 2004 book War Paint > and in the 2007 documentary The Powder & amp; Glory by Ann Carol Grossman and Arnie Reisman. The musical focuses on life and competition between the 20th-century lady entrepreneur Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein.
Video War Paint (musical)
Overview
The musical linked the rivalry between two important women in the cosmetics industry, Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, from the 1930s to the 1960s. Elizabeth Arden is the daughter of a Canadian farmer and presents her product as a symbol of a comfortable upscale life. Helena Rubinstein, from Poland, "emphasizes science", promises "exotic look." It was a "code for Jews" according to Scott Frankel.
Doug Wright noted: "Together, they are not only forging an industry, but a way of life... They really break the glass ceiling as women in the industry." Frankel, explaining his musical style, said: "I'm a big fan of music from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s and, without making it pastiche, I absorbed my brain in the liquid from those periods to see what is absorbed naturally. "
Maps War Paint (musical)
Productions
War Paint was aired at Goodman Theater in Chicago in the summer of 2016. Under the direction of Michael Greif, Chicago production began performing on June 28, 2016, officially open on July 18, and lasted until August 21, 2016. This production starred Patti LuPone as Rubinstein and Christine Ebersole as Arden, with John Dossett as Tommy Lewis, Arden's husband, and Douglas Sills, as Harry Fleming, a Rubinstein believer.
This musical features beautiful designs by David Korins, costume design by Catherine Zuber, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Brian Ronan, orchestration by Bruce Coughlin, and choreography by Christopher Gattelli.
War Paint premiered on Broadway at the Nederlander Theater on March 7, 2017 before officially opening on April 6th. Other leading players include Dossett and Sills, repeating their roles from Chicago production. The producers announced that production would close on November 5, 2017, after 236 regular performances, due to the need for LuPone undergoing hip replacement surgery.
Broadway Production received 4 Tony Award nominations. Both Christine Ebersole and Patti LuPone were nominated for Best Actress in Musical, David Korins for Best Scenic Design of a Musical and Catherine Zuber for Best Costume Design of a Musical.
Plot
Act Me
In 1935 Manhattan, some community women fretted over the ideals of beauty imposed upon them by the "Face Forward" culture. A red door called them in the Elizabeth Arden salon, where they were greeted by Arden Girls and later by Elizabeth Arden herself ("Behind the Red Door"). Elizabeth's husband, Tommy, informs her that Helena Rubinstein is planning to relaunch her company in America. Meanwhile, Helena arrives in Manhattan with her marketing director Harry Fleming and tells her that, while she has never met Elizabeth personally, she still plans to cancel it ("Back on Top").
When Helena shows off her latest face cream, a disgruntled Elizabeth assures Tommy that his iconic pink pack will always beat false science. Harry urges Helena to market her beige as two separate products: one for the day and one for the night. Helena agrees, causing her sales to go beyond Elizabeth. Tommy urges Elizabeth to give her a promotion, but she is reluctant to do so because she believes it will make her look weak ("My Secret Weapon").
One night, at dinner at Hotel St. Regis, Elizabeth overhears Helena and Harry talking on a side bench. He learns that Helena misses inclusion and that Harry feels under-valued ("My American Moment"). When Harry storms off after Helena mentions she finds out about a late night date, Elizabeth hands him a card and invites him for a job interview.
Some time later, Harry meets with Elizabeth and insists on working as Vice President of Sales. Despite his initial aversion, Elizabeth agrees with Harry's demands after Tommy comes to him. Harry tells Helena about her new job and attacks the city with a misguided sailor while Tommy enjoys the night with some Arden girls. When Elizabeth catches her in the steam room with one of the girls, she immediately shoots him and demands a divorce ("Step on Out"). The two women wondered what their life would be if they were born men ("If I Been a Man").
Upon receiving a visit from Charles Revson's nail polish seller and Dorian Leigh's model hand, Elizabeth became interested in Dorian as he saw the remnants of his former self in the newcomer's youth ("Better Yourself"). Meanwhile, after being approached by Tommy about a job, Helena suggests that they are working together to destroy Elizabeth's reputation by telling the FDA that her skin cream doubles as a horse ointment ("Oh, That's Rich").
In 1939 Washington, D.C., Elizabeth appeared at the Senate Committee meeting and offered a vigorous defense to the chairman of the committee of Senator Royal Copeland. Fully aware that Tommy was deliberately selling it, Elizabeth reported on Helena and forced her to testify before the committee. However, following Helena's testimony, Copeland snapped at women and claimed their efforts to weaken each other only resulted in them incriminating themselves. Alone and lost, both are wondering what would happen if they actually meet ("Face to Face").
Act II
As disenchanted women in Manhattan read the obligatory labels on Arden and Rubinstein products ("Inside of the Jar"), both women found that the war had broken out in Europe. Helena decides to radiate the spirit of dedicated women for war effort with a new line, while Elizabeth knows that the War Office is rationing silk and nylon and vowing to do its part by creating products without them (Necessity Is the Mother of Invention).
In the postwar years, the two women grew financially and opened salons in fashionable neighborhoods throughout America ("Best Face Forward [Reprise]"). One day, Helena ate at St. Regis when he found out that he lost the offer at the Park Avenue penthouse because the Board of Directors considered it too Jewish. She overhears Elizabeth being rejected by the Mayfair Club elite because they consider her too rich and rowdy because her opponent gets a much needed sense of her own prejudice ("Now You Know").
In the 1950s, Tommy and Harry urged their respective companies to update their advertising campaigns. When CBS President Bill Paley offered them to sponsor a new "$ 64,000 Question" game game, the two women refused ("No, Thank You"). During the show, they were surprised to learn that the sponsor was Revlon, the newly formed company by Charles Revson, featuring Dorian Leigh in an ad campaign celebrating the "Fire and Ice" sex app.
After the premiere, Helena fired Tommy for failing to remind him of the dangers that Revlon had triggered when Elizabeth shot Harry when he dared to say, "I told you." The two men sympathized in a bar, fully aware that their former employer dug their own graves by failing to keep up with time ("Dinosaurs").
A few years later, Elizabeth's Board of Directors pressed him to name his successor, which prompted him to think about how his entire resume had been reduced to his patented ("Pink") color. Helena, meanwhile, is pressured by her lawyer to save taxes by donating her huge portrait collections. He refused, insisting that, unlike the cream he spent all his life fighting for, it was these paintings that preserved his eternity ("Forever Beautiful").
At a gala event hosted by the American Women's Association in 1964, the two women came face-to-face after being unwittingly invited to deliver the keynote address. The two argue until Helena learns that Elizabeth is wearing the color of her lipstick. The two eventually realize that they have a common goal that goes beyond their bitter competition ("Beauty in the World"). As they are escorted onto the stage, their Tulip handler thanks the former cosmetics maestro for "everything you've done - I mean to - women." Upon hearing this, the two women stop and wonder who will maintain the beauty in a world that is always rough ("Finale").
Music number
Cast
Sumber: Database Internet Broadway
Respons kritis
In his review of Chicago's production, Peter Marks at The Washington Post praised LuPone and Ebersole and scores: "LuPone and Ebersole wrapped up their incredible sounds around the scores by Scott Frankel and Michael Korie who rang with that kind of tone very fun that matches the chutzpah of their character ambitions... At dusk is when the show LuPone and Ebersole get important pain... "and the storyline:" War Paint conveys with tremendous authority what it feels like for both women to have a masculine traditional role in running a big company... "
Awards and nominations
Original Broadway Production
References
External links
- Official website
- War Paint on the Broadway Internet Database
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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