Coraline Hits The Stage With Suitably Slightly Unsettling Music

For those of you with older kids and an affinity for the Magnetic Fields, have I got news for you -- New York's MCC Theatre is bringing Coraline to the stage as a new musical. With music from Stephin Merritt. Now those of you who remember Merritt's album (as the Gothic Archies) for the Lemony Snicket series of books, The Tragic Treasury (review), will probably realize how perfect Merritt is for writing the music and lyrics. The ever-so-slightly creepy music and lyrics (listen to some demos here) are very intriguing.

Now, just as the movie version came with reviewers' warnings that young kids might find it a bit too disturbing, the Theatre says it's appropriate for kids 8 and older. (And that's probably a good thing, too, because at $65 a ticket, it's a little different than leaving a $7 movie matinee because the kids are too scared...) Coraline starts May 7.