"Glee" season five has added another new addition to the growing cast. Phoebe Strole from Broadway's "Spring Awakening" will be joining the hit Fox musical dramedy.
According to TVLine, Strole will play the recurring role of Penny Owen, a college sophomore who is working to get into nursing school. Strole will serve as Sam's (Chord Overstreet) new love interest.
Strole starred alongside "Glee" star Lea Michele and former "Glee" guest star Jonathan Groff in the original Broadway production of "Spring Awakening." Strole has also appeared in the feature film "Hamlet 2" and the TV movie "Sorority Wars."
Michele took to Twitter to announce the casting news.
Michele tweeted: "Such amazing news that two of my very best friends are going to be on #Glee this year! @ddlovato & @PhoebeStrole! Thank you @MrRPMurphy! â¤"
Strole joins two other singer-actors who recently joined the cast: former Disney star Demi Lovato and "American Idol" star Adam Lambert. Lovato will play struggling New York-based artist Dani who befriends Rachel (Lea Michele) and Santana (Naya Rivera). Lovato will perform many musical numbers with Lambert. It has not yet been disclosed if Lambert will play himself as a guest star or a different character.
Lambert will be the second former "Idol" contestant to join the show, following Jessica Sanchez, who joined the show after finishing second place in "American Idol" season 11. Sanchez appeared last season for two episodes as Frida Romero, a rival singer.
"Glee" is currently in production, and is filming the the tribute episode for Cory Monteith, who died from a drug and alcohol overdose this past July. Monteith played Finn, Rachel's boyfriend on the show, and also dated Lea Michele in real life. Michele recently tweeted a picture of herself on the set of the episode wearing a "Finn" necklace, which is modeled after her "Cory" necklace that she is often seen wearing. Hollywood Life reports that Michele will not appear as Rachel until the very end of the tribute episode, in which she will sing a heart wrenching song.
"Glee's" fifth season premieres on Fox on September 26.