Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, George Takei and Telly Leung were part of a May 20 New York City industry presentation of Allegiance, the award-winning new musical by Jay Kuo, Marc Acito and Lorenzo Thione.
Allegiance is planning to arrive on Broadway in spring 2014, representatives for the musical confirmed to Playbill.com. The May 20 readings were the latest step toward that goal.
At 76, George Takei is in the prime of his life: The Star Trek actor and L.A. native is now a social media maven, a theatrical producer and, with his husband, the former Brad Altman (now Takei), a poster child for marriage equality.
That doesn’t mean everyone knows how to pronounce his name properly. It’s Ta-KAY, he says, not Ta-KAI — as in “Ta-KAY is gay,” he quips.
Takei’s dry wit and deadpan style have made him one of the Internet’s most beloved celebrities. But it’s a dark episode from his childhood that shaped his world.
In March, it was announced that Allegiance: A New American Musical, would be getting a developmental lab staging in New York in April and May of this year. The musical, which tackles the often-overlooked topic of the Japanese internment camps that existed in the United States during World War II and the effects that they had on the people whose lives they touched, originally opened at the Old Globe theatre in San Diego in 2012 and now has its eyes set on Broadway.
Last week, just before the attacks in Boston, I took a pilgrimage. I traveled to Arkansas to dedicate the Japanese American Internment Museum in McGehee. The town lies between two places of great sadness: Jerome internment camp to the southwest, and Rohwer camp to the northeast. Over seventy years ago, my family and I were forced from our home in Los Angeles at gunpoint by U.S.
On February 4th, 2013, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle hosted the 11th Annual Craig Noel Awards last night to a crowd of nearly 500 of San Diego’s most dedicated theatre lovers, producers and participants. Among those were some of the larger theatre companies in the city including The Old Globe, Moxie and La Jolla Playhouse.
Biggest surprise of 2012: “Allegiance — A New American Musical,” Old Globe Theatre
A sobering subject, untested writing talents, serious financial risks and seemingly naive Broadway ambitions.
And finally — startlingly — unbridled success.
The intriguing — and in many ways heartening — story behind the creation of “Allegiance” makes the show easily the biggest surprise in San Diego theater this year.
The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle has announced the nominees for the 2012 Craig Noel Awards. New musicals including The Scottsboro Boys, Allegiance, Hands on a Hardbody and Nobody Loves You are among the nominated productions.
The Old Globe’s world-premiere musical Allegiance received six nominations, the most for any new musical, while its productions of The Scottsboro Boys earned five nominations and Nobody Loves You was honored with four nominations. The awards ceremony will be held Feb. 4, 2013, at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
The final performance of the Old Globe’s “Allegiance — A New American Musical” on Sunday night left George Takei close to speechless — and not just from the emotion of the occasion.
“The timing (of closing night) is good because I’m about to lose my voice,” the “Star Trek” icon and driving force behind this world-premiere show rasped with a smile at the closing-night cast party.
But if the production’s seven-week run — not to mention Takei’s marathon post-performance meet-and-greets — tattered the actor’s vocal cords, it also did a number on the Globe’s record books.
It’s a phrase that sounds dangerously un-jaded, even hopelessly hopeful, and after seeing the sublime new musical “Allegiance” you just might be moved to embrace it: “From the past / we can learn at last.”
That’s a lyric from “Second Chances,” a song that goes a long way toward embodying what makes this show, now receiving its world-premiere production at the Old Globe Theatre, such a stirring and worthwhile work.
George Takei, best known as Captain Sulu of Star Trek, says it’s been his “lifelong dream” to make it to Broadway. He came close in 1960 when he was invited to audition for a show. But he did not get the part.
“It was a body blow,” says Takei. “Suddenly, New York turned into a cold, heartless city.”
Tony Award winner Lea Salonga kicks off LIncoln Center’s American Songbook’s 15th season at The Allen Room on January 30th, 2013. Music director: Larry Yurman; Bass: John Miller; Drums: David Ratajczak; Guitar: Jack Cavari. Directed by Victor Lirio.
George Takei calls “Allegiance” his “legacy project.” Listen to the Star Trek actor and social media superstar talk about why he has so much invested in this new musical at the Globe about the Japanese American internment.
When Allegiance went into preview performances last month, it was still being tweaked says book writer Lorenzo Thione.
“It’s like archeology, a story is down there it lies down there and you just have to dig it up.”
The Old Globe presents the World Premiere of Allegiance — A New American Musical, an epic story of family, love and patriotism set during the Japanese American internment of World War II. Directed by Stafford Arima, with music and lyrics by Jay Kuo and book by Marc Acito, Kuo and Lorenzo Thione, the production features choreography by Andrew Palermo and music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Lynne Shankel.
Allegiance Highlights features the following songs:
“Going Places” performed by Telly Leung, Lea Salonga and Ensemble
“Gaman” performed by Lea Salonga, Telly Leung and Ensemble
“Ishi Kara Ishi” performed by George Takei and Lea Salonga
“Higher” performed by Lea Salonga
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Broadway in Sight
Allegiance Gets NYC Industry Reading With Lea Salonga, George Takei and Telly Leung
Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, George Takei and Telly Leung were part of a May 20 New York City industry presentation of Allegiance, the award-winning new musical by Jay Kuo, Marc Acito and Lorenzo Thione.
Allegiance is planning to arrive on Broadway in spring 2014, representatives for the musical confirmed to Playbill.com. The May 20 readings were the latest step toward that goal.
George Takei: He Boldly Goes
An interview with George on his internment, discrimination, and his overwhelming social media success.
At 76, George Takei is in the prime of his life: The Star Trek actor and L.A. native is now a social media maven, a theatrical producer and, with his husband, the former Brad Altman (now Takei), a poster child for marriage equality.
That doesn’t mean everyone knows how to pronounce his name properly. It’s Ta-KAY, he says, not Ta-KAI — as in “Ta-KAY is gay,” he quips.
Takei’s dry wit and deadpan style have made him one of the Internet’s most beloved celebrities. But it’s a dark episode from his childhood that shaped his world.
Q&A with Telly Leung on Allegiance’s Past and Future
‘Allegiance’ star Telly Leung talks about the production’s conception and the potential move to Broadway
In March, it was announced that Allegiance: A New American Musical, would be getting a developmental lab staging in New York in April and May of this year. The musical, which tackles the often-overlooked topic of the Japanese internment camps that existed in the United States during World War II and the effects that they had on the people whose lives they touched, originally opened at the Old Globe theatre in San Diego in 2012 and now has its eyes set on Broadway.
Why We Must Remember Rohwer
George Takei on Boston, Tule Lake and Rohwer Internment Camp
Last week, just before the attacks in Boston, I took a pilgrimage. I traveled to Arkansas to dedicate the Japanese American Internment Museum in McGehee. The town lies between two places of great sadness: Jerome internment camp to the southwest, and Rohwer camp to the northeast. Over seventy years ago, my family and I were forced from our home in Los Angeles at gunpoint by U.S.
ALLEGIANCE wins the Outstanding New Musical 2012 Craig Noel Award
Allegiance takes home the top honor from the San Diego Theater Critic Circle Association. Also recognized for Outstanding Featured Male Performer (Michael Lee) and Best Orchestrations (Lynne Shankel)
On February 4th, 2013, the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle hosted the 11th Annual Craig Noel Awards last night to a crowd of nearly 500 of San Diego’s most dedicated theatre lovers, producers and participants. Among those were some of the larger theatre companies in the city including The Old Globe, Moxie and La Jolla Playhouse.
‘Allegiance’ tops year’s theater stories
Old Globe musical is biggest surprise in fertile season for local stages
Biggest surprise of 2012: “Allegiance — A New American Musical,” Old Globe Theatre
A sobering subject, untested writing talents, serious financial risks and seemingly naive Broadway ambitions.
And finally — startlingly — unbridled success.
The intriguing — and in many ways heartening — story behind the creation of “Allegiance” makes the show easily the biggest surprise in San Diego theater this year.
San Diego Critics Nominate Allegiance, Hands on a Hardbody and More
Allegiance tops the list of nominees with mention in six categories, the most for any new musical
The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle has announced the nominees for the 2012 Craig Noel Awards. New musicals including The Scottsboro Boys, Allegiance, Hands on a Hardbody and Nobody Loves You are among the nominated productions.
The Old Globe’s world-premiere musical Allegiance received six nominations, the most for any new musical, while its productions of The Scottsboro Boys earned five nominations and Nobody Loves You was honored with four nominations. The awards ceremony will be held Feb. 4, 2013, at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
‘Allegiance’ breaks Globe box office records
Musical about Japanese-American internment sets all-time mark at box office
The final performance of the Old Globe’s “Allegiance — A New American Musical” on Sunday night left George Takei close to speechless — and not just from the emotion of the occasion.
“The timing (of closing night) is good because I’m about to lose my voice,” the “Star Trek” icon and driving force behind this world-premiere show rasped with a smile at the closing-night cast party.
But if the production’s seven-week run — not to mention Takei’s marathon post-performance meet-and-greets — tattered the actor’s vocal cords, it also did a number on the Globe’s record books.
Allegiance Review: ‘Allegiance’ an affecting success. Old Globe’s smart, soulful, world-premiere musical shines.
The UT-San Diego review of Allegiance calls it a sublime musical that manages to thread together myriad themes — of family strife, politics, patriotism, racial prejudice — into a beautifully unified exploration of what it means to be true to something.
It’s a phrase that sounds dangerously un-jaded, even hopelessly hopeful, and after seeing the sublime new musical “Allegiance” you just might be moved to embrace it: “From the past / we can learn at last.”
That’s a lyric from “Second Chances,” a song that goes a long way toward embodying what makes this show, now receiving its world-premiere production at the Old Globe Theatre, such a stirring and worthwhile work.
Allegiance Review: ‘Allegiance’ is moving, thought-provoking story of patriotism, loss
The North County Times review of Allegiance calls it moving, and "in impressively polished shape, with a multilayered, clearly plotted, well-paced book. In other words, bring your Kleenex, you're going to need it."
SAN DIEGO – In the publicity photos for “Allegiance —- A New American Musical,” it appears to be the story of a Japanese-American family struggling to hold itself together in an internment camp during World War II.