Scott Elliott (Hurlyburly, The Women) will direct the Roundabout Theatre Company commission which will begin performances March 24, 2006 and open April 20 at Studio 54.

Lauper is known for her 1980's hit debut album "She's So Unusual" which included the hits "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," "She-Bop," "Time After Time" and "All Through the Night." She has appeared on film in "Vibes," "Off and Running," "Life With Mikey" and "The Opportunists." Lauper lent her voice to the recent Roundabout Theatre Company Sondheim and Manhattan Theater Club fundraising galas as well as helped announce last season's Tony Award nominations. She appeared in the 2001 summer run of David Henry Hwang's Largo at the New York Stage and Film and is at work on a musical theatre project, Find Me, with Rosie O'Donnell.

Lauper joins Alan Cumming, Nellie McKay, Jim Dale and Ana Gasteyer in the cast of the work translated and adapted by Shawn (Aunt Dan and Lemon) from the original German book and lyrics of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill's classic musical Die Dreigroschenoper.

Set in London in the 1800s, the The Threepenny Opera concerns a notorious bandit who marries a girl, much to the chagrin of her father. The peeved patriarch does everything in his power to imprison his son-in-law in this political and social satire.

Tony Award winner Cumming (Cabaret, Design for Living) will reprise the role of Macheath — which he played in a recent workshop that also starred Falco. Songstress McKay plays the young bride Polly. Dale (Barnum, Joe Egg) will take on the role of Mr. Peachum opposite Gasteyer as Mrs. Peachum. More casting is to be announced. The design team for The Threepenny Opera features Derek McLane (sets), Isaac Mizrahi (costumes) and Jason Lyons (lights). Kevin Stites serves as the music director.

Fashion personality Mizrahi previously collaborated with director Elliott on the Roundabout's revival of The Women for his Broadway debut. He will again join the stage director for his upcoming Broadway revival of Barefoot in the Park.

Roundabout announced the work in June 2003 for the 2004-2005 season, but later bumped it from the lineup. The Brecht-Weill work was last revived for the Broadway stage in 1989 as 3 Penny Opera starring former "The Police" frontman Sting.

Tickets go on sale in January 2006 through Roundabout Ticket Services at (212) 719 1300. For more information, visit www.roundabouttheatre.org.