Scott Watanabe. Photo by Lia Chang
Congratulations to Scott Watanabe, who will be making his Broadway principal debut as “Tatsuo Kimura” at this afternoon’s matinee (3:00pm) of Allegiance at the Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48th St. in New York. Click here to purchase tickets.
Watanabe is thrilled to bring the important history and story of Allegiance to Broadway, having performed in the Old Globe Theatre production and the NYC development process. He is a member of the Allegiance ensemble, and the understudy for the roles of Sam Kimura, Ojii-Chan and Tatsuo Kimura. He was featured in the Broadway, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Las Vegas productions of The Phantom of the Opera, and was last seen on Broadway in the Roundabout Theatre production of Pacific Overtures.
Bonale Zohn Fambrini, Raul Aranas, Mel Sagrado Maghuyop, Scott Watanabe, Cindy Cheung, Virginia Wing and John Haggerty at the curtain call of NAAP’s Oliver! at The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre inside The Pershing Square Signature Center in New York on June 7, 2014. Photo by Lia Chang
He has been seen on the New York stage as Mr. Bumble in NAAP’s Oliver!; as Mr. Kumasaka in Pan Asian Rep’s No-No Boy; and as Lion in Candide. Some favorite regional credits include Golden Lotus (District Intendant), Miss Saigon (Engineer), Man of La Mancha (Padre), Annie Get Your Gun (Charlie), Dial M for Murder (Captain Lesgate), It’s Only a Play (Ira Drew), Mame (Ito), Pacific Overtures (Kayama), Merrily We Roll Along (Franklin Shepard), The Most Happy Fella (Pasquale), and Paint Your Wagon (Jake).
Boon Ho Sung as Wu Sung & Scott Watanabe as the District Intendant in Golden Lotus, Hong Kong
Allegiance stars Tony and Olivier Award winner Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables) in her long-awaited return to Broadway joined by Star Trek icon George Takei in his Broadway debut at age 78, and Broadway and Glee star Telly Leung. Allegiance is the vibrant and unforgettable story of one family’s resilience in the face of seemingly-insurmountable odds, inspired by Takei’s real-life experience as a Japanese American during World War II. Allegiance opened at the Longacre Theatre on Sunday, November 8, 2015.
Lea Salonga, George Takei, Telly Leung, Michael K Lee and cast. Photo by Matthew Murphy
Allegiance features a book by Marc Acito, Jay Kuo, and Lorenzo Thione with music and lyrics by Jay Kuo. Olivier Award nominee Stafford Arima directs, in his Broadway debut. Andrew Palermo serves as choreographer.
The cast stars George Takei as Sam Kimura/Ojii San; Lea Salonga as Kei Kimura; Telly Leung as Sammy Kimura; Katie Rose Clarke as Hannah Campbell, Michael K. Lee as Frankie Suzuki, Christópheren Nomura as Tatsuo Kimura; and Greg Watanabe as Mike Masaoka, and features Aaron J. Albano, Belinda Allyn, Marcus Choi, Janelle Toyomi Dote, Dan Horn, Owen Johnston, Darren Lee, Kevin Munhall, Manna Nichols, Rumi Oyama, Catherine Ricafort, Momoko Sugai, Sam Tanabe, Elena Wang, Scott Watanabe and Tony winner Scott Wise.
Allegiance illuminates one of American history’s lesser known chapters as it tells the story of Sam Kimura (Takei), transported back nearly six decades to when his younger self (Leung) and his sister Kei (Salonga) fought to stay connected to their heritage, their family, and themselves after Japanese Americans were wrongfully imprisoned during World War II. An epic story told with great intimacy, Allegiance explores the ties that bind us, the struggle to persevere, and the overwhelming power of forgiveness and, most especially, love.
The cast of ALLEGIANCE.
Allegiance has implemented a digital lottery for $39 seats available each day via allegiancemusical.com/lottery. Entries can be submitted the day of the preferred performance, either by 11AM for matinees or 3PM for evening performances. Winners will be notified via email or text, depending on what they select during the entry process, and winners may purchase up to 2 tickets which will be held at the box office. Allegiance will also offer a limited number of $39 rush tickets for patrons 35 years old and under for each performance beginning at the opening of the box office each day. There will be a limit of 2 tickets per customer. Cash or credit cards will be accepted for all lottery and rush tickets, and seat locations will vary depending on availability.
Allegiance had its world premiere in a record-breaking engagement at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego in 2012.
For more information go to www.AllegianceMusical.com.
Broadway’s ‘Allegiance’ to Record Cast Album on Dec. 7
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Lia Chang. Photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an award-winning filmmaker, a Best Actress nominee, a photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Examiner.com, Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
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