Broadway’s Allegiance kicked off previews at the Longacre Theatre in New York on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
By Lia Chang
AsAmNews Arts and Entertainment Reporter
The stage door at the Longacre Theatre in New York was a mob scene as fans of Star Trek’s George Takei (Heroes) and Tony Award winning actress Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Mulan), turned out for the first preview of Broadway’s Allegiance, a new musical inspired by Takei’s true-life story on October 6th.
Fans waiting for autographs at the Longacre Theatre stage door in New York after the first preview of Allegiance. Photo by Lia Chang
It was great to see Pat Suzuki (Broadway’s original Flower Drum Song), Virginia Wing, Jaygee Macapugay (Here Lies Love, School of Rock), Jennifer Lim (Chinglish), Joel de la Fuente (Hold These Truths, Hemlock Grove, Man in the High Castle), set designer Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, and many more members of the Asian American theatrical community who turned out to support. Cast members Karl Josef Co and Allie Trimm from the Old Globe production of Allegiance were in the house, while Conscience and the Constitution filmmaker Frank Abe came in from Seattle to see the show.
Jennifer Lim, Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, Jaygee Macapugay and Joel de la Fuente
The cast of Allegiance at the curtain call of their first preview at the Longacre Theatre in New York
Allegiance features a book by Marc Acito and music and lyrics by Jay Kuo. Olivier Award nominee Stafford Arima (London’s Ragtime, Off-Broadway’s Bare, Carrie, Altar Boyz) directs. Opening night is November 8th.
George Takei and husband Brad Takei backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
George Takei and Jaygee Macapugay backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
George Takei and Telly Leung backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
George Takei and Telly Leung backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
George Takei and Telly Leung backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
George Takei and Telly Leung backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
George Takei signs autographs at the Longacre Theatre stage door in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
George Takei signs autographs at the Longacre Theatre stage door in New York after the first preview of Allegiance on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
George Takei signs autographs at the Longacre Theatre stage door in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
The cast of Allegiance includes: Takei in his Broadway debut as Sam Kimura/Ojii San; Salonga as Kei Kimura; Telly Leung as Sammy Kimura; Christopheren Nomura as Tatsuo Kimura; Michael K. Lee as Frankie Suzuki; Katie Rose Clarke as Hannah Campbell and Greg Watanabe as Mike Masaoka. The ensemble features Aaron J. Albano, Belinda Allyn, Marcus Choi, Janelle Dote, Dan Horn, Owen Johnston, Darren Lee, Kevin Munhall, Manna Nichols, Rumi Oyama, Catherine Ricafort, Momoko Sugai, Sam Tanabe, Elena Wang, Scott Watanabe and Scott Wise.
Jaygee Macapugay and Lea Salonga at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Lea Salonga and her fans after the first preview of Allegiance at the Longacre Theatre in New York on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Lea Salonga at the Longacre Theatre stage door in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Inspired by the true-life experience of George Takei, Allegiance follows one family’s extraordinary journey in this untold American story. A mysterious envelope leads Kimura back 60 years to a time when he (played as a young man by Leung — Godspell, Glee) and his sister Kei strive to save their family from the wrongful imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Sam enlists in the army to prove the Kimura’s loyalty, but Kei joins draft resisters fighting for the rights of their people. Their paths take them from the lush farmlands of California to the wastelands of Wyoming to the battlefields of Europe, and their divided loyalties threaten to tear them apart forever. But as long-lost memories are unlocked, Sam finds that it is never too late to forgive and to recognize the redemptive power of love.
Michael K. Lee backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing and Michael K. Lee at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Michael K. Lee and producer Elliott Maise at Hurley’s after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Karl Josef Co, a guest, Telly Leung and producer Elliott Maise at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Telly Leung and GODSPELL director Daniel Goldstein backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Matthew Woolf, Telly Leung and Steven Filenbaum backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Telly Leung signs autographs at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
James Babcock, Telly Leung and Don Aoki at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Producer Mike Karns and Telly Leung at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Jennifer Lim and Telly Leung at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Telly Leung and partner Jame Babcock at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Telly Leung at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Producers Elliott Maisie and Lorenzo Thione, Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, and Joel de la Fuente at the Longacre Theatre in New York at the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Aaron J. Albano signs autographs backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Christophen Nomura signs autographs backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Scott Watanabe, Jaygee Macapugay and Aaron J. Albano backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Darren Lee and Lia Chang backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Jaygee Macapugay
Marcus Choi and Jaygee Macapugay backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Original Allegiance cast members Allie Trimm and Karl Josef Co at the first preview of Allegiance at the Longacre Theatre in New York on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Sam Tanabe and Janelle Dote backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Catherine Ricafort and Jaygee Macapugay backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Greg Watanabe and Manna Nichols backstage at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Greg Watanabe and Jennifer Lim at the Longacre Theatre in New York after the first preview of ALLEGIANCE on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
Conscience and the Constitution filmmaker Frank Abe and Greg Watanabe, who plays Mike Masaoka, after the first preview of Allegiance at the Longacre Theatre in New York on October 6, 2015. Photo by Lia Chang
On Facebook, both Lea and George have announced special performances for their fans on Halloween. The matinee performance on October 31st is Pinoy Day; the evening performance is for Trekkies who are encouraged to come in costume, for a chance to take a picture with George. Both shows will feature post-show talkbacks with the cast.
Click here to purchase tickets. For more information go to www.AllegianceMusical.com
Kim Varhola and her husband Michael K. Lee with Lia Chang at Hurley’s after the first preview of Allegiance on October 6, 2015. Photo by Karl Joseph CoLia Chang
