War Paint at Kalamazoo Civic Theatre

A Southwest Michigan premiere - 'War Paint' just closed on Broadway in November 2017. The Civic is thrilled to be the first community theatre in the country to produce this new and exciting musical! In 1935 Manhattan, society women fret over beauty ideals imposed on them by an unforgiving culture. And center to it all are the empires of Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. 'War Paint' exposes the rivalry between the two most important women of the cosmetics industry from the 1930's to the 1960'sa story dramatic enough even without the music and the costumes. They could have been friends. Both brought up in humble surroundings, in these two powerful, wealth women similarity bred contempt. Arden stole Rubinsteins marketing director, and then Rubinstein retaliated by stealing Ardens husband. Theirs was one of the great feuds in American business, like Macys and Gimbels but with lipstick and eyeliner!