Back in August during Vegas Khhaann!, George Takei mentioned he was working on a new Broadway musical that focuses on the extreme hardship during the Japanese American internment camps of WWII. If you haven't read our coverage of Vegas Khhaann! day one, George talked about his own family's experience.  Including loosing their home and being kept in horse stalls at the Santa Anita race track in Southern California.  It was amazingly powerful stuff.  Now, more details about the musical have emerged with a story synopsis and George's co-star, Tony Award Winner Lea Salonga.

Allegiance is a new musical about love, family and heroism during the Japanese American internment, with music and lyrics by Jay Kuo and book by Jay Kuo and Lorenzo Thione, starring Tony Award (R) winning actress Ms. Lea Salonga and screen and TV icon, Mr. George Takei.

“Allegiance is a major musical about a forgotten part of history,” says Takei, who spent his childhood in an internment camp in Arkansas and was a founder of the Japanese American National Museum. “Kuo’s music soars, and the epic story stirs deep emotions. This is a hugely important, historic work.”

Allegiance follows the Omura family, forced from their home in Salinas, California to the Heart Mountain internment camp in the wastelands of Wyoming during World War II. Their story reflects the deep conflicts of a nation and a people divided: father Tatsuo, a successful store owner, resists their unjust internment; mother Kimiko fears for their future, quietly resigned to their fate; older son James volunteers in an all-Japanese army regiment; and younger son Sam yearns for acceptance by and inclusion in America.

Allegiance held its first staged reading at the Japanese American National Museum on July 13, 2009. It held a second, full reading on February 22, 2010 at the Mainstage Theatre on 42nd Street in NYC to rave audience reviews. A third industry reading is planned for October 2010, with an eye towards a Broadway bow in 2011-12. (source Allegiance Facebook Fan Page)

Become a fan of Allegiance on Facebook here.

Visit the official website here.

Check out Lea Salonga performing "Second Chances" from Allegiance below