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Photo Exclusive: Salonga, Takei, Leung Lead ALLEGIANCE Workshop Presentation

New York, July 30, 2011 -- BroadwayWorld.com has been following the progress of Broadway-bound musical, Allegiance, since its first reading in Los Angeles two years ago up to its final workshop presentation held at the Baryshnikov Arts Center yesterday. What we just saw certainly bore little likeness to its initial working draft while some aspects of the production have remained the same, like its central story on the Japanese American experience during and after the World War II internment; and its composer and lyricist Jay Kuo's uplifting and emotionally charged music and lyrics.

Sing Out, Louise! Productions and the Tony Award-winning regional theater company, The Old Globe, have just wrapped up a two-day developmental workshop presentation of Allegiance. The presentation has featured Lea Salonga (Gloria Suzuki), George Takei (old Sam Omura), Telly Leung (Young Sam Omura), Jose Llana (James Omura), Paolo Montalban (Mike Masaoka), Allie Trimm (Hannah Campbell), Paul Nakauchi (Tatsuo Omura), Sala Iwamatsu (Kimiko Omura), Donna Bullock (Lily Campbell), William Parry (Bill Campbell), Jason Tam (Frankie Suzuki), Ma-Anne Dionisio (Emily Suzuki), Gaelen Gilliland (Ms. Patrick), Jon Jon Briones (Mr. Tanaka and Mr. Yamada), Orville Mendoza (Mr. Okubo), Ann Sanders (Ms. Tanaka), Will Ray, Stuart Ambrose, Caitlyn Caughell, Karl Josef Co, Mary Ann Hu, Marcus Choi and Kay Trinidad.

Jay Kuo (Insignificant Others, Worlds Apart) was co-book writer, composer and lyricist; Lorenzo Thione was co-book writer; Lynne Shankel (Cry-Baby, Company) was conductor, music supervisor and arranger; Christopher Gattelli (South Pacific, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) was choreographer; Stafford Arima (Altar Boyz, the West End premiere of Ragtime) was director; and Lou Spisto was executive producer.

Allegiance will hold its world premiere at The Old Globe in San Diego sometime next year. The musical plans to bow on Broadway, at a theater to be determined, during the 2012-13 season. Salonga, Takei and Leung are poised to open the show on Broadway.

For more information about the show, visit www.allegiancemusical.com.

Photos by Oliver Oliveros

The cast of ALLEGIANCE

Jay Kuo, Lorenzo Thione

Lorenzo Thione with guest John Tartaglia

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Oliver is still in school, currently completing his master’s degree in public relations and corporate communication at New York University. However, he doesn’t spend all his days in the Big Apple stuck in the classroom; he also squeezes in some time to edit, write, and take photographs for the theater website BroadwayWorld.com -- his beat mostly covers Broadway shows, especially those that feature Filipino-American artists, and theater goings-on back in his home country, the Philippines.

Having more than 15 years of professional experience in handling public relations and corporate communication for numerous brands and celebrities, and teaching public relations at De La Salle University in Manila, taking in arts advocacy projects, especially those that involve Asian minorities, is something he can’t say no to.

Oliver firmly believes that Asian artists, especially Filipino theater artists, are one of the world’s best; and their stories had to be told, no matter what.

Follow Oliver on Twitter: @OliverOliveros

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