Based on the novel by Neil Gaiman (which also served as the source for the recent animated film), Coraline features music and lyrics by Stephin Merritt and a book by David Greenspan. The show begins previews May 7 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and will open June 1 for a run through June 20. The cast will include Julian Fleisher (Save It for the Stage) as Cat, Francis Jue (Yellow Face) as Father and Miss Forcible, January LaVoy (Home) as Mother and Miss Spink, Elliot Villar (The Brothers Size) as Mr. Bobo and William Youmans (Wicked) as Other Father with Houdyshell and librettist Greenspan ( Some Men) as Other Mother.

Houdyshell (Well, Wicked) will play the title role, a nine-year-old girl. About the casting director Leigh Silverman said in a statement, "Coraline is a wildly unconventional musical and having the exquisite Jayne Houdyshell play the precocious nine-year old, gleefully defines the surprising and extraordinary spirit of the piece."

"Poor bored Coraline. She's left to rattle 'round her perpetually distracted, workaholic parents' house all by her lonesome," according to an MCC release. "But late one night, her dreams of a better reality come true as she opens a big, carved, wooden door at the far end of the drawing room and passes into a perfect replica of her own world. When she's greeted there by a vastly loving Other Mother and a kindly Other Father, she's thrilled! But as the rats start to creep from the floorboards, and the way home becomes increasingly unclear, Coraline begins to suspect that, perhaps, all is not as perfect as it seems…"

For tickets to Coraline at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher Street, call (212) 279-4200. For more information visit mcctheater.org.