The bright lights at the Nederland Theatre were in view. The doors had opened and we pushed through the flock of people that were eager to see Patti Lupone and Christine Ebersole perform.
The play is about the story of Helena Rubinstein(Patti Lupone) and Elizabeth Arden(Christine Ebersole) and their achievement in becoming powerful business tycoons in the cosmetic world. Both women were born into poverty, had no formal education and defied the norms of the early 1900s. Men controlled the boardrooms, women did not worked outside of the home and women definitely did not paint their faces.
These two women introduced creams, lipsticks and nail polish to the world. They also were pioneers in advertising, product packaging and direct marketing. They were the first to stress the importance of diet and exercise to one's skin care regimen.
The musical was very well done in showing the rivalry between them during the 1930s to the 1960s. The clothes and the props definitely portrayed the time period. Patti Lupone and Christine Ebersole's voices were at their best. The play was well received by the packed house and I am sure it will be a big hit.
As the show ended, my sister and I felt that we had seen a great story of two powerful women. As we left, we waited outside the stage door to meet the cast and get autographs and pictures. We met Patti Lupone and Erik Liberman. Erik portrayed Charles Revson, who created Revlon. Mr. Revson became one of their biggest competitors to Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein during the 1950s and 1960s. Life is ironic! In 2016, Revlon purchased Elizabeth Arden.
If you are in New York, you must see "War Paint"!
at the Nederland Theatre
Patti Lupone
Erik Liberman
1 comment:
Oh how exciting for you both
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