Perez Reviews: Allegiance

Allegiance is an important story to tell and a difficult one.
Inspired by his own life, the new Broadway musical stars Star Trek legend George Takei in a dramatization of the time during World War II where over 120,000 Japanese-Americans were sent to concentration camps.
Takei skillfully acts his part, although he isn’t giving much material in the singing department.
Thankfully, though, Broadway and Disney legend Lea Salonga is utilized to the best of her abilities and delivers THAT VOICE, which is easily one of the top three of all time in musical theater.
Telly Leung does a fine job of playing the war hero, or is he the anti-hero of Allegiance? His character, more often than not, comes across as unlikeable. And that’s a major problem for a protagonist of a show.
The music is good, if not the most memorable.
Act I felt long, but Act II flies by and really tugs at the heartstrings.
In addition to Salonga, we also were blown away by Katie Rose Clarke as the nurse with the heart of gold.
There is a lot of pain in Allegiance, but – thankfully – director Stafford Arima does a brilliant job of not making the show too dark and of finding the beauty in the bleak. The way he represents the bombing of Hiroshima is so inspired! His formations and choices are to be strongly lauded.
Fine job by all!
Gaman!