I pledge ALLEGIANCE !!!!

allegiance |əˈlējəns|noun

loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause : those wishing to receive citizenship must swear allegiance to the republic | a complex pattern of cross-party allegiances.
Last night I had the opportunity to attend a staged reading of a New Musical called Allegiance;A New Musical (Music & Lyrics by: Jay Kuo and a book by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione) Themusical is described by it's creators as;"A groundbreaking, original musical about a family's love, loss, and heroism during the Japanese American Internment"

It's pretty rare to get the opportunity to get a glimpse into the future of Broadway. It's even rarer that when you do get a glimpse - IT'S EXCITING!

Last night's staged reading, held at Playwrights Horizon, blew the roof off the main stage. With an audience full of people from the professional New York theater community, including potential producers and backers, there was not a dry eye in the house after the shows finale; "Obon". Led by Lea Salonga and George Takei.

While every performer in the reading was well cast, I have to make mention of several performances that really made me raise my brow. "Young Sam" played by Telly Leung (tellyonline.net) particularly blew me away. Telly's emotional range and wide eyed youthful demeanor give "Young Sam" the heart that makes you want to care for him as your little brother, but smack him just the same with his rose-colored-glasses outlook on being an "American". Leung really thrives when he sings the Act 1 Finale; My Time Now.

In a sweet moment during Act II a little Romeo and Juliet action happens between "Young Sam" and "Hannah" (A "White" Girl) when they sing "Taught Me To Breathe". Together they leave not a DRY eye in the house! One of my favorite moments in the show is when Hannah expresses to her adverse father "God wouldn't reveal something so beautiful, unless it was meant to be shared".

I was also moved by the performance of Sam's mother "Kimiko", played by Tamlyn Tomita. She was so perfectly Japanese in every nuance of her delivery. Moving both in her moments as a mother and as a human who goes through ultimate sacrifice for those she loves. I was also VERY fond of Paolo Montalban's character "Mike Masaoka", the antagonist vaudevillian comic relief of the show who delivers just the perfect amount of razzle dazzle to a show that demands plenty of you emotionally.

Mr. Kuo and Mr. Thione's beautiful story, though taking place nearly seventy years ago, is so relevant today. It makes you question how far we have really come in our own Allegiance; both personal and global.

Please keep an eye out for this one. I am certain it will be a huge hit. I'll bet on it!!!

www.allegiancemusical.com for more info.