Bruce Lee has found his combat partners! Spring Awakening and Glee favorite Phoebe Strole, Hands on a Hardbody alum Jon Rua and more will star in David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu, a new world premiere drama about the life of the iconic martial artist. The stars join previously announced So You Think You Can Dance favorite Cole Horibe as Lee. Directed by Leigh Silverman and featuring choreography by Sonya Tayeh, performances begin February 4, with opening night set for February 24. Kung Fu will play a limited engagement through March 16 at the Pershing Square Signature Center’s Irene Diamond Stage.
In addition to Strole as Lee’s wife Linda, Kung Fu will feature Rua, Emmanuel Brown (Spider-Man), Clifton Duncan (Twelfth Night at the Delacorte), Bradley Fong (Deadly She-Wolf Assassin at Armageddon), Francis Jue (Pacific Overtures), Peter Kim (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Ari Loeb (Spider-Man), Reed Luplau (Superstars of Dance), Kristen Faith Oei (Wicked) and Christopher Vo (Smash).
Strole currently plays Penny Owen on TV’s Glee. She made her Broadway debut in the original cast of Spring Awakening. Her off-Broadway credits include The Madrid, The Metal Children, The Big Meal and Mourning Becomes Electra. She has appeared on screen in Rescue Me, Stella, Hamlet 2, My One and Only and Sorority Wars.
Kung Fu tells the story of international icon Bruce Lee’s journey from troubled Hong Kong youth to martial arts legend. The new play blends dance, Chinese opera, martial arts and drama into a new theatrical form. The production follows Lee in America as he struggles to prove himself as a fighter, a husband, a father and a man.