"War Paint" Patti Lupone/Christine Ebersole as Cosemetics Competitors Helena Rubinstein/Elizabeth Arden

"War Paint" was put on hold with a major technical gaffe that took hold bringing down the curtain & the house lights up. The audience was told there was a temporary technical problem.  The 25 restless minutes got long in the tooth which brought the 4 leads out on stage & in the floor booth.  The actors improvised a distraction recounting awkward anecdotes moments while performing.  This was disarming, especially Lupone's story of a bomb threat during "Evita" with police/fire dept backstage unsure of how to proceed.  On with the show indeed - back to the beginning of the 2nd musical number "Behind the Red Door."   "War Paint" is the new musical that tells the duo biopic story of 2 grand dames of the cosmetic industry Helena Rubinstein (Patti Lupone) and Elizabeth Arden (Christine Ebersole.)  The ingredients are labled in bold print: 2 titans of the Broadway musical stage, multiple Tony winners Lupone & Ebersole and the Tony winning musical pair; Scott Frankel and Michael Korie ("Grey Gardens".)  Adding to the sparkling mix are Broadway veterans & Tony winners John Dossett (Tommy Lewis, Arden's husband) and Douglas Sills (Harry Fleming.)  The costumes were charming, the make-up, perfection and a live orchestration contributed to helping the show put it's best face forward.   However, not all the flaws in the show could be concealed.  The lives of these 2 mavericks who made their way into a male dominated business world to make women look & feel their best, and yes, to make their own fortunes, laid down a nice track to bet on ir being a great show.  The plot spanned the mid 1930's - 1960's  & showcased the innovative strides these rivals made running side by side.  Their stories paralleled each other as they strove to outdo the other.  Their shared histories shared more in common than their drive to succeed.  The musical numbers were quaint with clever lyrics that kept things moving at a clipping pace.  Until, the final solos "Pink" (Elizabeth) and "Beauty in the World" (Rubinstein.)  These incredible singers/actresses are first class thoroughbreds, but they got dragged through the mud on these overly long, legacy solos.  The last scene where the 2 senior women now retired are unexpectedly united is very touching and makes for a winning finale.  I would say "War Paint" wins a recommendation by a nose; preferably one that is powdered