Takei Musical To Hit Broadway

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Allegiance, based on George Takei‘s childhood memories of being imprisoned in an internment camp during World War II, is coming to Broadway.

The show opened September 2012 at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego.

In Allegiance – A New American Musical, “On the sixtieth anniversary of Pearl Harbor, a meeting with a young journalist forces World War II veteran Sam Kimura [Takei] to remember his family’s relocation from their California farm to the Heart Mountain internment camp in Wyoming. As they struggle to adjust to their new home, Young Sam and his sister Kei [Lea Salonga] find themselves torn between loyalty to their family and allegiance to their country. With its moving score, Allegiance — A New American Musical takes audiences on a journey into our nation’s history through the eyes of one American family.”

Takei also plays a grandfather in Allegiance.

“It is absolutely thrilling,” said Takei. “I consider this production my legacy project. I’m always shocked by the number of people I consider to be well informed who, when I tell them about my childhood and growing up behind barbed-wire fences, they are aghast and shocked. They’d never heard of it.”

“I owe so much to my parents,” added Takei, “and, in many ways, this production is my tribute to them. It’s a kind of lifetime of gratitude coming to fruition. It’s a very, very personal project.”

It took a while for Allegiance to make it to Broadway. “All the Broadway theaters had been booked up and there was a long line of productions waiting for the next vacancy,” said Takei. “So we just had to get in line and vamp our time. It is very, very frustrating and anxiety-ridden. We’re absolutely thrilled that we’re at this point now. 2015 is going to be the year of Allegiance.