Stage Tube: Lea Salonga Sings ‘Second Chances’ From ALLEGIANCE!

Broadway-bound musical "Allegiance" has just released a promotional video clip that shows Tony award-winning actress Lea Salonga ("Miss Saigon", "Les Miserables") singing the musical's opening and closing song titled "Second Chances".  Its beautiful and infectious melody, penned by the musical's composer and lyricist Jay Kuo ("World's Apart", "Insignificant Others"), has been getting favorable first impressions. 

 "Allegiance" tells the story of one family's struggles and triumphs during a dark chapter in U.S. history, the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII. It's also the story of a man named Sam, played by George Takei ("Star Trek", "Equus"), and his efforts to balance his love for both country and family, and the mistakes he made as a young man while seeking that balance.

"The show's deepest message, conveyed by Ms. Salonga's character (Gloria Suzuki) in the song 'Second Chances,' is that no matter how late it seems, there is still time to come to terms with and to fix past mistakes, and to move on, in peace. When life provides a second chance at being happy again, we should open our hearts to it, embrace it, and find happiness in the journey ahead. 'Second Chances' opens and closes the show, leading us on the same path of redemption that the main character has embarked upon," Mr. Kuo tells BroadwayWorld.com. 

Ms. Salonga first sang "Second Chances" at a private staged reading in New York City (NYC) on February 22, 2010.

"The musical is in its pre-regional development stage. After two readings (Los Angeles, NYC), and another one planned in NYC on Monday, October 25, 2010, we will move to a regional theater for a pre-Broadway run in 2011. Everything is going really well, and both development and fundraising events for the show proceed in full swing. We are planning to open on Broadway in 2012," adds producer and co-writer Lorenzo Thione ("American Idiot", Sing Out, Louise! Productions). 

Besides Mr. Takei and Ms. Salonga, Telly Leung ("Rent", "Wicked"), Allie Trimm ("13", "Bye Bye Birdie"), and Paolo Montalban ("Cinderella","The King and I") are confirmed part of the cast.