Allegiance

"Directed in workmanlike fashion by Stafford Arima, 'Allegiance' has a complicated story to unfold and to humanize. It does a reasonable job of providing a nuanced view of events, the occasional swerve into melodrama notwithstanding…The authors, feeling the responsibility of illuminating this shameful chapter in American history, pack the show with so much incident and information that 'Allegiance' often feels more like a history lesson than a musical." Full Review

"Shockingly, it works: Not only is 'Allegiance' a grandiose epic reminiscent of Miss Saigon, it also serves as a compelling family drama...'Allegiance' is delightfully old-school: a big schmaltzy musical of dubious historical accuracy delivered with ample humor and heart...Stafford Arima's fast-paced, ever-moving production reinforces that tone." Full Review

"Bookwriters Marc Acito, Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione do a fine job in voicing the multiple issues involved with the situation with earnestness, and director Arima's production eschews extravagance to focus on the human story, but 'Allegiance' lacks a score that meets the emotional demands of its subject...This is a great topic for a musical and the talented company plays it admirably, but 'Allegiance,' while certainly not a bad theatre piece, is an underachieving one." Full Review

"If only the creative team behind 'Allegiance' could have worked such gentle magic with the raw and painful material of history. This well-intentioned but mawkish musical about a family interned after Pearl Harbor tries to balance romance, humor and tragedy, but crumples things badly…There’s a complex tale of honor, shame and assimilation here, but it’s been stretched out to cartoonish billboard size." Full Review

"The strength of 'Allegiance' is in the story. Not the musical’s book, which is no more than serviceable, but the disturbing real-life events behind it…Authentic moments are few and fleeting, overwhelmed by standard love songs...In their sincere efforts to 'humanize' their complex historical material, the creatives have oversimplified and reduced it to generic themes...It must be said that the production values are quite high. The design of the show is highly stylized, but in a meaningful way." Full Review

"'Allegiance' should be better served by its book, score and lyrics, most of which tend toward the generic. Stafford Arima’s direction does too. Composer and lyricist Jay Kuo and book writers Marc Acito and Lorenzo Thione are striving so hard for stirring nobility that individuality or particular characterization falls by the wayside...The show only really acquires force once the body count rises and the familiar tropes of melodrama are employed." Full Review

"There are a few things that don't quite work - and a couple that are flat-out wrong - in 'Allegiance,' but every time the show threatens to succumb to sentimentality or formulaic musical comedy gestures, it surprises with something striking, even shocking...Even as it arrives at a reconciliation of sorts - which, if staged with more restraint, would be far more powerful - 'Allegiance' doesn't sugarcoat the events it portrays." Full Review

"The creative team behind 'Allegiance' has worked hard to make this important musical both entertaining and illuminating, and Takei is just one of the many splendid performers, including Lea Salonga and Telly Leung, who boost the enterprise with both lively and touching moments...If there are some unfortunate choices and missed opportunities in 'Allegiance,' they are outweighed by what it does right, especially the heft of the subject matter and the talent of the cast." Full Review

"'Allegiance' is more of an operetta than a musical. As such the characters find their voices in the music. There is little in the dialog that is remarkable or revealing. There is an interracial love story that livens up the plot, but other than that the story and the blocking are fairly predictable. Which is not to say boring. Because it is the music that tells the tale, and the music is quite wonderful...Ultimately what wins you over is the heart to heart connection. " Full Review

"But none of this has been executed with any wit, color, or invention that may even partially obscure what they're going for…If it all sounds as crushingly boring as it is socially responsible, it is. Dramatic works in general predictably suffer from being forced into activism molds, because any instituted myopia drastically complicates (and perhaps impedes altogether) the process crafting people and situations that can be cared about on anything but a surface level." Full Review

"'Allegiance' is not tiresomely noble. Nor does it waste its time pointing out the obvious injustice of what happened. Instead, it creates vivid drama from the conflicts in the Japanese American community…But a musical lives and dies by its songs. Many a show has a weak book but gets revived by a great score...The music and lyrics by Kuo while moving the plot forward are rarely good enough to stand out on their own." Full Review

"It is of no artistic value whatsoever, save as an object lesson in how to write a really bad Broadway musical. 'Allegiance' is peopled with characters made of solid cardboard. The Japanese-Americans are all noble and true, the Caucasians yawping apes save for a bosomy blonde nurse from Nebraska who—stop press—falls for an internee!...The cast is mostly very fine, especially Mr. Takei and the marvelous Lea Salonga…But the show itself is a dud—and a missed opportunity. " Full Review

"Whenever the authors find ways to dramatize the stark humiliations suffered by people who were, after all, loyal citizens of the United States, 'Allegiance' is momentarily effective…But too much of the show is devoted to far-fetched plot twists whose attempts to gin up excitement…'Allegiance' is so overmusicalized that the book feels anemic. And though often pretty too many of those songs sound too much alike as they reach for grandeur but get stuck at glue." Full Review

"It's so depressing when a new musical that explores an important historical event turns out to have so many problems…The musical gets derailed by Jay Kuo's weak score (full of derivative music and pedestrian lyrics), the busy, broad nature of the plotting and Stafford Arima's unexciting staging…'Allegiance' does raise awareness about a dark, overlooked chapter in American history. But considering the show's problems, it is unlikely to find a wide audience." Full Review

"The powerful sentiments involved are too often flattened by the pedestrian lyrics and unmemorable melodies, making an unconvincing case for this material's suitability to be a musical…The songs and their platitudinous lyrics lack personality, despite the best efforts of the talented performers…The most moving work comes from Takei...His deep personal association to the material and evidence of a generous spirit of forgiveness are among the show's strengths." Full Review

"There’s noble and meaty material here. But the storytelling has issues. The production, directed by Stafford Arima, is a jumble — super-serious here, airy musical-comedy there. Kuo’s score careens from grand pop opera anthems to earnest but trivial self-help filler songs...'Allegiance' also wants to make a significant statement. But it’s too tangled to say very much." Full Review

"'Allegiance,' the newest musical to hit the great white way is touching, endearing, well written and passionate. This is a musical that is important on so many levels, especially now...The book, music and intelligent lyrics by Marc Acito, Lorenzo Thione and Jay Kuo will draw you in and touch your soul. This story does not preach but unfolds like a novel you can’t put down." Full Review

"A somewhat ungainly musical that has moments of beauty and passion, as well as a complexity of themes that are not the usual stuff of Broadway shows…Less successful are the staging by Stafford Arima and the dancing by Andrew Palermo, which have the virtue of avoiding Asian cliché but also fail, like the songs, to give the show wings...It’s a triumph of a rare sort, shedding light in a dark corner of our history with uncommon generosity of spirit." Full Review

"You can't blame the creative team for opting for a conventional, emotion-grabbing way into the narrative — even though the focus on the romances and familial strife the relocations generated tends to weaken the well deserved indictment of those who relegated more than a hundred thousand fellow Americans to enemy alien status...The lyrics aren't especially clever or memorable, but the vocally strong cast sings the heck out of them." Full Review

"Takei, of course, was a kid at the time, and a survivor in every way. Indeed, the moral authority of his presence...is about the only thing that really works in 'Allegiance,' a musical...that seems, alas, wholly out of sync with its subject matter, especially when directed at such breakneck speed by Stafford Arima." Full Review

"The show isn't bombastic or preachy, though some may find the well-structured book too earnest. Kuo's serviceable score is loaded with anthems...Although we hear enticing Japanese flute and percussion between scenes, this more 'Le Miz'-lite pop opera than a fusion of musical cultures. But I was engrossed throughout. The show has fully developed characters, a strong cast and a new story to tell in an old-fashioned way." Full Review

"The importance of 'Allegiance' and the remarkable strength of its principals and ensemble cast outweigh the new musical’s weaknesses...Despite minor concerns, 'Allegiance' remains a strong and successful musical dealing with an important part of American history. Its thematic content raises enduring questions about the current conversation regarding immigration, loyalty, and citizenship and adds considerable weight to that important discussion." Full Review

"The real success of the 'Allegiance' book, however, isn’t its depiction of injustice, which is vivid. What distinguishes the show is its extremely varied portraits of the Japanese-American characters…That’s a lot of history to pack into a two-and-half-hour show, and yet the authors and the cast (under the sure-footed direction of Stafford Arima) never reduce 'Allegiance' to a lecture…It’s unfortunate that the score by Kuo doesn’t enhance this harrowing story." Full Review

"The production is hampered by the mixed signals it sends out. Are we supposed to become involved by outrage at what was done to these innocent people, or entertained by the performance of traditional Broadway musical routines?...It isn't clear, actually, why 'Allegiance' needed to be a musical at all. Most of the songs fall into a numbing pattern...The show's final scene is extremely touching. It's too bad the show couldn't find, and sustain, a similar tone much earlier." Full Review

"It’s a poignant and well-crafted story, with a title that operates on multiple levels. Here, allegiance refers to the loyalty we feel for country. And, obligations we have to family and friends. And finally, truths we live by as individuals—the determination to stand our ground when life sours. All these ideas are woven smartly into the often-stirring drama." Full Review