So You Think You Can Dance Star Cole Horibe to Channel Bruce Lee in David Henry Hwang’s Kung Fu

Get ready for some off-Broadway hand-to-hand combat! So You Think You Can Dance contestant Cole Horibe will embody legendary martial arts star Bruce Lee in the world premiere of David Henry Hwang’s new play Kung Fu. Directed by Leigh Silverman, performances will begin February 4, 2014, with an official opening night set for February 24 at the Irene Diamond Stage in the Pershing Square Signature Center. Kung Fu is slated to play a limited engagement through March 16. Horibe will reunite with So You Think You Can Dance's Sonya Tayeh, who will choreograph the production. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

“Obviously, a huge challenge inherent in Kung Fu was finding an actor who could credibly portray martial arts icon Bruce Lee,” Hwang said in a statement. “Cole's electrifying martial arts and dance performances immediately riveted me. He shared Bruce's charisma and even resembled him physically. Later, in his auditions for Kung Fu, he brought the same raw talent to his acting that he'd shown so brilliantly in his dance. We feel incredibly blessed to have found in Cole a star who can bring a legend to life.”

Horibe will make his off-Broadway debut in Kung Fu. He appeared as a contestant on the ninth season of TV’s So You Think You Can Dance, in the category of martial arts fusion.

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. The production will feature specialty choreography by Dou Dou Huang, scenic design by David Zinn, costume design by Anita Yavich, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Darron L. West, projection design by Darrel Maloney and music by Du Yun.

Does Horibe have what it takes to channel martial arts master Bruce Lee? Click below to see him in action!