With stories of every stripe and subject being produced for
the musical stage these days, one shouldn’t have to ask “How can they make a
musical out of the injustice of interning native-born American citizens into
forced relocation camps during WW II?”
Fair question. The answer is:
before you complain or dismiss the effort, go see this powerful and cathartic
musical, which is beautifully staged, with triple-threat actors, who sing, who
dance, and who also touch the heart.
“Allegiance” is a new American musical inspired by the
true-life family experience of actor George Takei (Mr. Sulu of “Star Trek”
fame). Takei, along with his parents
and other family members were removed from their Salinas farm in 1942 and were
placed in a government internment camp in Heart Mountain, Wyoming.
Following the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, fear and
paranoia of all varieties were rampant in the country. Many American-born and naturalized citizens
of Asian decent, and those of Japanese ancestry in particular, from Seattle to
San Diego, came under suspicion as people who might give aid and comfort to the
enemy. The government’s remedy to the
situation was to remove more than 120,000 citizens from their homes and
businesses and place them in “protective custody for their safety” – but far
away from the West Coast – in relocation camps ranging all over the
country. Granted it was a traumatic
time for the country, but never the less, it was still a shameful act. And its impact is still being felt by some
today.
Set against this historical tableau, Takei, in collaboration
with Jay Kuo, who wrote the music and lyrics, and Marc Acito, Jay Juo, and
Lorenzo Thione, who wrote the libretto, have fashioned a compelling and
poignant story and how it effects an American family before, during and after
the war.
“Allegiance”, deftly directed by Canadian Stafford Arima, is
somewhat of a memory piece, and as such, is softer and less strident in tone
around the edges of its core story than earlier plays that have used racial
profiling and social injustice as themes.
Arima is involved, not only as its director he brings a personal and emotional
perspective to the production. Arima’s
father, two aunts and an uncle also were interned, but in British Columbia,
Canada during WW II.
The story revolves around the Kimura family of Salinas,
California. Life in the San Joaquin
Valley of California in 1941 was no different for the Kimura family on their
small artichoke farm than for those of their friend’s with small farms, than
for any other group of hard-working Californians. Then, on December 7th everyone’s world changed. “Allegiance”, is
an American story of country, of family, and of culture set to music, ranging
from stirring to reflective and illuminates how those changes affected a great
many people in war-time America.
What is gratifying for me at least, is to see actors of
Asian descent filling 80% of the roles as called for in the script; with
Anglo’s filling only Anglo roles. The
cast may not all be Japanese-Americans – Lea Salonga of “Miss Saigon” fame, is
Filipino, but is of Asian descent, and her beautiful soprano voice hasn’t
diminished a wit in the twenty years since winning her Tony as Kim, in “Miss
Saigon”. All of the principal actors,
at some point in the production are required to speak Japanese (Tim Dang,
artistic director of East West Players of Los Angeles, take note and check out
this show).
As one of the three central characters in the musical:
Salonga as Kei Kimura, Telly Leung as young Sammy, and George Takei as Ojii-san
and as the older Sammy, do most of the heavy dramatic lifting, and sing with
energy and passion. Even Septuagenarian
Takei can carry a tune and sell a song and also understands how to inject humor
into a somewhat somber script. Also,
there is strong support from Michael K. Lee as Frankie, a camp resister and
activist, who falls in love with Kei, to Allie Trimm as Hannah Campbell, an
early love interest for young Sammy, and Paul Nakauchi, as the stoic and
principled family patriarch Tatsuo Kimura, and Paolo Montalban as the Japanese
American activist Mike Masaoka, promoter of the famous and heroic Japanese
American fighting unit known as the “442 Battalion”, and Washington D.C.’s link
to the Japanese American community.
The Old Globe has few equals when it comes to using its
state-of-the-art technical arsenal to enrich a production. Director Arima has enlisted a clever creative
team to maximize the input and impact of his team led by Donyale Werle as
Scenic Designer, Howell Binkley, Lighting Designer, Jonathan Deans Sound
Designer, and just the right amount of projection designs by Darrel Maloney.
Lynne Shankel’s music supervision, arrangements, and
orchestration are key in making this uplifting and insightful production come
brilliantly and musically alive.
Musical Director Laura Bergquist and Lynne Shankel make a most formidable
music team indeed.
“Allegiance” performs on the Donald and Darlene Shiley stage
through October 21, 2012
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