War Paint

A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

War Paint

Full-Length Musical, Drama  /  10w, 5m plus ensemble

Book by Doug Wright
Music by Scott Frankel
Lyrics by Michael Korie

“An intelligent, character-driven musical about two innovators motivated as much by their own exacting standards as by the spirit of fierce competition between them.” – Hollywood Reporter 

Image: 2017 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

War Paint

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    10w, 5m plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Biography
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Nominee: Three 2017 Tony Awards
    Nominee: Six 2017 Drama Desk Awards, including Best Lyrics
War Paint

Details

Summary
Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden defined beauty standards for the first half of the 20th century. Brilliant innovators with humble roots, both 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. From Fifth Avenue society to the halls of congress, their rivalry was relentless and legendary – pushing both women to build international empires in a world dominated by men.
History
War Paint premiered at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in June 2016. On 26 April 2017, the show opened on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre. Directed by Michael Greif, the production starred Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole.
Keywords
Performing Groups

MISS ELIZABETH ARDEN (Range: E3-Bb5)
MADAME HELENA RUBINSTEIN (Range: F3-Eb5)

TOMMY LEWIS (Range: Bb2-F4)
HARRY FLEMING (Range: Bb2-F#4)

FOUR CHARACTER LADIES who portray:
THE COUNTESS (Range: Bb3-Bb4)
THE SOCIETY DOYENNE (Range: Bb3-C5)
THE GRAND DAME (Range: Bb3-Bb4)
THE HEIRESS (Range: Bb3-Bb4)
BEAUTY TECHNICIANS (S/A, Range: F3-F4)
REPORTERS
MAGDA
COTTON CLUB PATRONS
MRS. TROWBRIDGE-PHELPS
WORLD WAR TWO MACHINISTS
TV PERSONNEL
MISS SMYTHE

THREE ENSEMBLE MEN who portray:
DOORMAN
PORTERS
FREDDY
WAITER
SAILOR
BAR PATRONS
CHARLES REVSON (Range: Bb2-Gb4)
RAOUL DUFY
SENATOR ROYAL COPELAND
COURT OFFICER
SOLDIERS
MR. SIMMS
WILLIAM S. PALEY (Range: Ab3-Db4)
HAL MARCH
BARTENDER
MR. LEVIN
MR. BARUCH 

FOUR LEGGY ENSEMBLE LADIES who portray:
ARDEN GIRLS (S/A, Range: Bb3-C5, Sopr. up to G5)
MISS BEAM (Range: F#4-Db5)
DORIAN LEIGH (Range: A3-D5)
REPORTERS
MISS TEALE
WORLD WAR TWO WACS
FIRE AND ICE GIRLS
TULIP

  • Time Period 1960s, 1950s, 1940s/WWII, 1930s
  • Setting New York’s salons, boudoirs, hotels, department stores. 1930s-1960s.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol

Media

“Classy and elegant… highly entertaining and provocative.” – Chicago Tribune
“Thoroughly compelling and masterfully entertaining throughout. It’s an intelligent, character-driven musical about two innovators motivated as much by their own exacting standards as by the spirit of fierce competition between them.” – Hollywood Reporter

“Classy and elegant… highly entertaining and provocative.” – Chicago Tribune

“A marvel… It’s quite a story, and one well told.” – The Wrap

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

Our Picks For The 2019/20 Season
Lawrence Haynes
January 7, 2019

Videos

  • Clips from War Paint on Broadway youtube thumbnail

    Clips from War Paint on Broadway

  • Behind the scenes of War Paint on Broadway youtube thumbnail

    Behind the scenes of War Paint on Broadway

  • Info on the creative team of War Paint youtube thumbnail

    Info on the creative team of War Paint

Photos

  • War Paint

    Image: 2017 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • War Paint

    Image: 2017 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • War Paint

    Image: 2017 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • War Paint

    Image: 2017 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • War Paint

    Image: 2017 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

  • War Paint

    Image: 2017 Broadway Production (Joan Marcus)

Show more +

Music

Music Samples

Act I

“Best Face Forward” – Countess, Grand Dame, Heiress, Society Doyenne, Ensemble
“Behind the Red Door” – Arden Girls, Countess, Grand Dame, Heiress, Society Doyenne, Elizabeth
“Back on Top” – Helena, Beauty Technicians
“My Secret Weapon” – Helena, Harry, Tommy, Elizabeth, Arden Girls
“My Secret Weapon (Reprise)” – Elizabeth, Tommy
“My American Moment” – Helena, Elizabeth
“Step on Out” – Arden Girls, Miss Beam, Tommy, Harry
“If I’d Been a Man” – Helena, Elizabeth
“Better Yourself” – Elizabeth
“Oh, That’s Rich” – Tommy, Helena, Elizabeth, Harry
“Face to Face” – Helena, Elizabeth

Act II

“Inside of the Jar” – Countess, Grand Dame, Heiress, Society Doyenne, Shoppers, Salesgirls
“Necessity is the Mother of Invention” – Elizabeth, Helena, Women Machinists, WACs, Tommy, Harry, Soldiers
“Best Face Forward (Reprise)” – Countess, Society Doyenne, Grand Dame, Heiress, Branch Salon Clients
“Now You Know” – Helena
“No Thank You” – Harry, Elizabeth, Tommy, Helena, William S. Paley
“Fire and Ice” – Charles Revson, Dorian Leigh, Mirror Girls, Helena, Elizabeth, Harry, Tommy
“Dinosaurs” – Tommy, Harry
“Pink” – Elizabeth
“Forever Beautiful” – Helena
“Beauty in the World” – Helena, Elizabeth
“Act II Finale” – Helena, Elizabeth

Reed 1 (Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Alto Sax)
Reed 2 (Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet, Tenor Sax)
Reed 3 (Flute, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Sax, Baritone Sax)
Horn
Trumpet 1
Trumpet 2
Trombone
Keyboard 1
Keyboard 2
Drums (Drum Set, Timpani, Bongos, Toms, Sus. Cym., Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Vibraphone, Crotales, Chime, Triangle, Bell Tree, Mark Tree, Temple Blocks, Wood Blocks, Ratchet)
Violin
Cello
Bass 
  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Dance Requirements Easy
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Large
  • Chorus Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
16 Vocal Books
1 Piano-Vocal Score
1 Full Score Act 1
1 Full Score Act 2
1 Reed 1
1 Reed 2
1 Reed 3
1 Horn
1 Trumpet 1
1 Trumpet 2
1 Trombone
1 Keyboard 1
1 Keyboard 2
1 Drums
1 Violin
1 Cello
1 Bass
16 Vocal Books
1 Piano-Vocal Score

Scripts

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Authors

Doug Wright

Doug Wright

Doug Wright’s play Quills premiered at Washington, D.C.'s Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in 1995 and subsequently had its debut off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop. Quills garnered the 1995 Kesselring Prize for Best New American Play from the National Arts Club and, for ...

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Michael Korie

Michael Korie

Michael Korie is the lyricist of the Broadway musical War Paint, starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole, and is the recipient of this year's Marc Blitzstein Award, given by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Writing for musical theater, he created the lyrics to co ...

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Scott Frankel

Scott Frankel
Scott Frankel is a composer whose most recent work, The Flamingo Kid, had its world premiere in 2019 at Hartford Stage. Other works include War Paint (starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole), which enjoyed a run on Broadway following a record-breaking engagement at the ...
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