IT WAS the second performance of Allegiance, the Broadway musical inspired by the experiences of Star Trek's George Takei's family at the internment camps during World War II.
The show had debuted on a couple of days before and there was some discussion whether the lukewarm reviews would hamper attendance.
When I arrived, those doubts disappeared as I joined a long line outside the Longacre Theater and people were genuinely excited about the musical. It was a typical New York theater crowd, a lot of diversity but there was definitely more-than-usual number of Asian/Americans in the audience.
The story is a dark chapter in American history that needs to told and retold to expose the power of paranoia, xenophobia and unrelenting fear. Recent events in Paris and the reaction of some American leaders make the story more relevant to today's audiences.
For many in the audience familiar with the events of WWII, it was a refresher course. It brought the story of injustice and internment from an abstract to a human level. But for the majority of the non-Asian audience who just wanted to experience Broadway theater, Allegiance ma;y have tried to do too much.
There was so much happening in the internment camp and the interpersonal relationships, love stories (including an interracial couple), the rising resistance and division among the internees, the political shenanigans in Washington DC between the members of the Japanese American Civilian League and Congress, the exploits of the the heroic 442nd Japanese American Regiment in Europe and, oh yeah, throw in dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, too.
All together, it may have been all been a bit complex and overwhelming. This is all rich dramatic material full of inspirational moments but those moments got lost in the mishmash of so much happening that the big events cancelled each other out as what could have been high points in the storyline.
There's no doubt, Lea Salonga made a triumphal return to Broadway. Her performance reminded everyone why she was such a hit in shows such as Miss Saigon and Les Miserable. Allegiance took advantage of having Salonga cast as the female lead and took every opportunity to show off her singing.
As good as Salonga's performance was, along with her cast mates Telly Leung, Michael Lee, Christopher Nomura, Greg Watanabe and Katie Rose Clark, Jay Kuo's lyrics and music did them no favors.
There was not a single song that was memorable, that brought a tear to your eye, brought you to your feet or had you humming after the show. Even "Higher" written especially to showcase Salonga fail ed to reach the level of showstopper. Kuo's music and numbers didn't hurt the production but it also didn't help it reach the level.
Besides Salonga, Leung's contagious energy and Nomura's powerful deep baritone were pleasant surprises.
Takei's dual roles in the show, as the elder Sammy and the elder Ochi-san, marked his debut on Broadway. Though he is not a singer, he showed a flare for comedic timing and exhibited a strong stage presence.
In fact, the cast was uniformly excellent and there was an artistic commitment to the material. What Allegiance demonstrates, and what revivals of King and I, Flower Drum Song and the recently departed Here Lies Love proves, is that there is an abundance of talent within the Asian American theater community.
**** (out of 5 stars) Go and see it!
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| Telly Leung led one of the few high-energy production numbers in "Allegiance." |
