Coraline
Off-Broadway promotional art
Music	Stephin Merritt
Lyrics	Stephin Merritt
Book	David Greenspan
Basis	Coraline byNeil Gaiman
Premiere	June 1, 2009
Productions	2009Off-Broadway 2011San Francisco 2013Edmonton, Canada 2014Chicago 2015Charlotte 2024Omaha

Coraline is amusical with music and lyrics byStephin Merritt and a book byDavid Greenspan. It is based on the 2002novella of the same name byNeil Gaiman. The story follows Coraline Jones, a young girl who discovers a parallel world beyond a secret door in her new home. The world has everything Coraline Jones'dreams of, but hides an ominous secret.

Coraline premiered off-Broadway in June 2009, four months after thefilm adaptation's release.

Coraline was commissioned in 2004^[1] by St. Ann Warehouse in association with Meet the Composer Commissioning Music/USA.^[2] The musical approached completion in 2008,^[3] but was not premiered until the following year.

Coraline began previews on May 8, 2009 at theLucille Lortel Theatre. It premiered on June 1, 2009 and was originally scheduled to close on June 20. Due to popular demand, its run was extended first to July 5,^[4] then July 7.^[2]Coraline was produced byMCC Theater in association with True Love Productions.^[5] It was the first musical to be produced by MCC Theater.^[4]

The musical is "wildly unconventional",^[2] according to world-premiere directorLeigh Silverman. West-coast premiere director Bill English describes the music as "odd," with pieces ending in the middles of phrases.^[6] The only instruments used in the musical arepianos, both traditional and toy varieties. The musical also calls for twoprepared pianos.^[7]

The original production's cast was similarly unconventional, with 55-year-oldJayne Houdyshell as nine-year-old Coraline and librettistDavid Greenspan as the Other Mother. The cast also featured Julian Fleisher as Cat,Francis Jue as Father and Miss Forcible,January LaVoy as Mother and Miss Spink,Elliot Vallar as Mr Bobo, andWilliam Youmans as Other Father.^[2]

Ghostlight Records released an original cast album in February 2010.^[5]

The West Coast premiere ofCoraline played from November 16, 2010 to January 15, 2011 inSan Francisco, produced by The SF Playhouse.^[8] The Midwest premiere played from August 8, 2014 to September 6, 2014 inChicago, produced by Black Button Eyes Productions.^[9]

Coraline also premiered internationally in Canada during theEdmonton Fringe Festival, from August 15, 2013 to August 25, 2013. It was produced by Impossible Mongoose Productions.^[10]

1. Overture – Other Father; Mr. Bobo; Cat; Mother; Father;
2. A New House – Coraline; Cat
3. Am Miss Spink (And I Am Miss Forcible) – Mother; Father
4. A Mouse Circus – Coraline; Mr. Bobo; Ensemble
5. Mum and Dad – Coraline; Father; Mother
6. At the Other End – Cat; Coraline
7. Song of the Rats – Ensemble
8. When We Were Young and Trod the Boards – Father; Mother
9. Fluorescent Green Gloves – Coraline
10. Welcome Home – Other Mother; Other Father; Ensemble
11. A Lot of Noise – Ensemble
12. Song of the Rats – Ensemble
13. Theatre Is Fun – Father; Mother
14. Stay with Us – Other Mother; Other Father; Ensemble
15. The Ballad of The Wasps – Coraline
16. O What a Lovely Trip – Father; Mother; Coraline
17. Go to Sleep – Other Mother
18. We Were Children Once – Ensemble
19. When You're A Cat – Cat
20. Song of the Rats – Ensemble
21. Recollections – Other Father; Mr. Bobo; Father
22. Whatever You Want – Mr. Bobo
23. Song of the Rats – Ensemble
24. The World Goes Flat – Ensemble
25. I Saw a Show on Telly Once – Coraline
26. Falling... Falling... – Other Mother; Ensemble
27. One Long Fairytale – Other Mother; Cat; Father; Mother; Mr. Bobo; Other Father; Ensemble

Many critics found the show lacked suspense and affect.Ben Brantley described the original off-Broadway production inThe New York Times as "droll, dry, and very cerebral."^[11] In subsequent runs, critics echoed such negative criticisms. Robert Hurwitt wrote in theSan Francisco Chronicle, "Greenspan's make-believe approach undercuts the tale's suspense."^[12]Kerry Reid wrote in theChicago Tribune, "There needs to be a greater sense of clammy danger... as the shadows fall over the world... Without it, we never quite identify with Coraline's growing maturity."^[13]

Critics also found the quirky musical score and instrumentation too indistinct and unmemorable. Matthew Murray wrote inTalkingBroadway.com that the show lacks "musical necessity" and goes on to say, "It's not just that the songs give you nothing to take away, it's that they take in nothing to give you."^[14] More generally, Toby Zinman wrote onBroadStreetReview.com that attendees may find "the songs were unmusical."^[15]

While the show received generally negative-to-mixed reviews, critics remained supportive of its creative team. Noting the strength of Gaiman's novel, Greenspan's inventive theatrical work, and Merritt's quirky, esoteric musicianship, David Rooney wrote inVariety, "Whether or not the musical-theater crowd warms to this wildly unconventional piece, it succeeds fully in harnessing the essence of three distinctive talents."^[16] Additionally, Stephen Merritt received the Obie Award for Design/Music forCoraline in 2010.^[17]

• Coraline
• 2009 musicals
• Musicals based on novels
• Off-Broadway musicals

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