GLORIA Suzuki is the tutor of Young Sam Omura and the fiancée
of his brother, James. They live in the small farming town of
Salinas, California. When she and the Omura family are
evacuated and sent to Heart Mountain Relocation Center in the
wastelands of Wyoming, she becomes a critic of the policies of
the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and its leader, Mike
Masaoka. The things she later learns about Masaoka’s plans
for the 442nd where James is serving, lead her to join the
resistance movement at Heart Mountain.
OLD SAM OMURA lives alone, writing editorials from his
apartment, hardened against the world. He has not spoken to
his family or friends from his past for over fifty years, but he
is haunted by a longing for things lost decades ago. A
decorated veteran, Old Sam stands with the “old guard” of the
Japanese American Citizens League, who condemned those who
resisted the draft during World War II or showed any other sign
of disloyalty to the United States. When his old tutor,
Gloria, passes away, her spirit visits him and, through a series
of tokens from their past, take
JAMES OMURA is the eldest of the Omura boys and engaged to
Gloria. Responsible and reassuring, he steps up as things
begin to spiral, dedicated to protecting his parents and younger
brother. His leadership among the young men at camp is
unquestioned. When the opportunity presents itself, James
makes a fateful decision to protect his family, putting his own
life on the line in the all-Japanese 442nd Regimental Brigade,
fighting in Europe.
TATSUO OMURA is the patriarch of the Omura family and,
with his wife, owns Omura General Grocery, which he has run for
20 years. When the Army forces them out of their home and
store to the wastelands of Heart Mountain, Wyoming, Tatsuo
watches as his authority and position are undermined and his
family is torn apart by political strife. His principled
answers to the “Loyalty Questionnaire” set a fateful series of
events in motion that tear his family apart and cost him nearly
all he has.
KIMIKO OMURA is the mother of two sons and the
picture-bride wife of Tatsuo Omura. Once happy in their
idyllic life in Salinas, California, Kimiko must learn to
confront and overcome the hardships of internment and work to
keep her family together against terrible odds. Both rooted
in tradition and at peace with what will change, she is the heart
of the Omura family and will do anything to protect her
family.
FRANKIE SUZUKI is the best friend of James Omura and the
leader of the resistance movement that springs up at Heart
Mountain, where he calls upon fellow internees to resist the
draft. Frankie is critical of the policies of Masaoka and
the camp administration, and he vies with Young Sam for moral
leadership and authority within the camp, earning him Young Sam’s
distrust.
HANNAH CAMPBELL is the daughter of the Camp Administrator,
Bill Campbell, who goes to live at Heart Mountain among the
internees. Curious and undeterred by her surroundings,
Hannah befriends Young Sam and soon comes to condemn what she
sees around her and treat the Omura family as her own. Her
forbidden affections for Young Sam put her on a collision course
with her parents, and ultimately she must choose between her
heart and her ties to family.
BILL CAMPBELL is the by-the-book Camp Administrator who
believes that “you do what you gotta do” in a tough situation
like the war and the internment. Determined to make the
best of a horrific logistical challenge, Bill seeks allies within
the camps to help him with his tasks and with the internee
community, including Young Sam. His affection and
admiration for Young Sam runs up against his visceral reaction to
the idea that his own daughter has developed feelings from Young
Sam, and he makes a fateful and terrible decision that could
drive his own daughter from him forev
LILY CAMPBELL is the wife of Bill and mother of
Hannah. Prepared to go along with what is expected of her
husband, she remains uncertain of how to live among the internees
and within their strange surroundings. When she learns her
daughter has grown close to Young Sam, she must decide whether to
learn from her example of tolerance and love, or close herself to
the idea and support her husband in his duties and
position.
MIKE MASAOKA is the young National Secretary of the
Japanese American Citizens League, which works with the U.S.
Government to implement the evacuation of Japanese Americans from
the West Coast, and later to administrate and regulate the
running of the camps. A controversial figure, both revered
and hated, Masaoka counsels cooperation with the government and
assimilation with America and its values.
STUART AMBROSE is delighted to be a part of this incredible new
musical. Theatre credits include: The national tour of
Camelot, starring Michael York (Lionel/Lancelot); Reprise
Theatre’s A Funny Thing… (Miles Gloriosus); Cabrillo Music
Theatre’s Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Adam); The
Ten Commandments at the Kodak Theatre, starring Val Kilmer
(Ensemble/Ramses); Pasadena Playhouse’s 110 In the Shade
(Ensemble/Starbuck) and Annie Get Your Gun at Stages St.
MARCUS CHOI feels blessed to be a part of this
Allegiance workshop. Previous theater credits
include the Broadway Companies of Flower Drum
Song, Wicked, The Times They
Are a Changin, and Sweet Charity.
Karl Josef Co is extremely excited to make his professional
theatre debut in ALLEGIANCE! Praise be to God! Thanks to Mom,
Dad, and Mico for their unending love and support. Thanks to
Telsey + Co/Craig Burns for this awesome opportunity. Thanks to
the Cast and Creative Team for being amazingly brilliant! Proud
Graduate of the University of Michigan… Go Blue!
JON JON BRIONES was born in the Philippines. In 1989 he went to
London to join the original cast of Miss Saigon. He has
played the Engineer in Miss Saigon in Germany, US Tour, UK
Tour, Asian Tour, the Philippines as well as a return to London
for its final year.
CAITLYN CAUGHELL is thrilled to be joining the cast of Allegiance
for this workshop! This is a story that needs to be
told. Other New York credits include the workshops of Time
After Time directed by Gabriel Barre, and After School Special at
The York Theater. During her studies at NYU she played the title
role in Violet, Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and
participated in the early workshop of Next Thing You Know with
music by Salzman and Cunningham.
MA-ANNE DIONISIO was last seen on Broadway in the revival of
Flower Drum Song. She had the honor of opening the Canadian and
Australian company of Miss Saigon, starring as Kim. She has also
played Eponine in Les Mis all over the world, from Schenectady to
South Africa. She’s thrilled to be working with Stafford Arima, a
fellow Canadian.
Gaelen Gilliland was last seen on Broadway in the production of 9
TO 5 (original cast), understudying and performing the role of
Judy. Previous to that, she played Elle’s Mom in the Broadway
production of LEGALLY BLONDE(original cast & MTV Recording),
and also Shen Shen in the hit Broadway show, WICKED. She has also
toured the country in such shows as: Seussical, The Music of
Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Sound of Music and Grease.
MARYANN HU: TV/FILM: Played SooLin on the NBC sitcom WHOOPI; Law
& Order; Fal- ling For Grace. BROADWAY: Lincoln Center’s
SOUTH PACIFIC (original cast) Bloody Mary understudy; recently
returned from the National Tour having played the role. MISS
SAIGON (also national tour). OFF BROADWAY/REGIONAL: Falsettoland
(NAATCO/ Cordelia),The Audience (The Transport Group) , The
Beautiful Warrior (The Vineyard Theatre),The Yellow Wood (dir. BD
Wong/NYMF), Heading East, The King and I (Tup- tim) and Song of
Singapore. Workshops: Bruce Lee: Journey to the West (dir.
Broadway: Pacific Overtures (Roundabout, Amon
Miyamoto, dir.); Off-Broadway: Timon Of Athens
(Barry Edelstein, dir.), original company of Sondheim/Weidman’s
Road Show (John Doyle, dir.), Romeo and
Juliet (Shakespeare in the Park, Michael Greif, dir.)
all at The Public Theater/NYSF; original cast of Durang/Melnik’s
Adrift In Macao (Drama Desk nomination and
Barrymore Award winner, Primary Stages & Philadelphia Theatre
Co., Sheryl Kaller, dir./Christopher Gattelli, choreo.), and
productions with NAATCO, T
WILL RAY is thrilled to be a part of this incredible new musical,
Allegiance. He recently was seen in the national tour of
Little House On The Prairie. Off Broadway, Will
played the role of John Truit in the Irish
Repertory’s production of Meet Me In St. Louis. Favorite
roles include Lt.
KAY TRINIDAD Broadway: The Little Mermaid
(Aquata/Original Broadway cast). Off Broadway credits
include Bare: A Pop Opera (Diane/Original NY Cast),
The Roar of the Greasepaint, Ninja the Musical
(Martha/Kit). Regional/Nat’l Tours: Seussical the
Musical, The King & I, Making Tracks,
Bye Bye Birdie. She can be heard as Marcy
Park on the Stage Stars recording of The 25th Annual
Putnam County Spelling Bee.
We have created this Privacy Policy and Legal Notice in order to
demonstrate our firm commitment to privacy. The following
discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices
for this website: Allegiance–A New Musical
(www.allegiancemusical.com) (this “website”). All references to
“we” or “us” in this Privacy Policy and Legal Notice refers to
Gaman PB, LLC or its managers, predecessors or successors, the
production company responsible for producing “Allegiance–A New
Musical”.
Like
