David Duchovny is set to swap the profane, West Coast world of Showtime's "Californication" for the equally profane and obscene universe of playwright Neil LaBute in New York.

The screen star will play the lead role in LaBute's new play "The Break of Noon," which is set to open at the off-Broadway Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York in October. The drama is a co-production with New York's MCC Theatre and L.A.'s Geffen Playhouse. The play is set to open in L.A. in February.

Duchovny hasn't been confirmed for the L.A. cast. A spokeswoman for the Geffen said that the two theater companies are working together to create "one cohesive production" with the same script, director (Jo Bonney) and design team.

The L.A. engagement of "The Break of Noon" is scheduled to run from Feb. 2 to March 6.

"The Break of Noon" tells the story of a man named John Smith (Duchovny) who survives an office shooting and undergoes a dramatic spiritual and religious transformation. No further casting has been announced for the production.

Best known for his role as Mulder in the series "The X Files," Duchovny currently stars in the Showtime series "Californication" as a sexually promiscuous professor living in Venice.