His musical is about his childhood in an internment camp in the US, where he was sent because he was Japanese-American.
We often think that actors’ careers in show business are over when they get old and stop being interesting to young people. At age 70, George Takei, who played Spock on Star Trek, thought the same thing. The 85-year-old actor thought his successful career was over, but he is about to make his London stage debut. Takei will perform in the United Kingdom for a short time in 2023 as part of the Broadway musical “George Takei’s Allegiance,” which is based on his childhood memories.
I am 85 years old. And I will be making my London stage debut in my legacy project, Allegiance, in January. Life really is amazing.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 1, 2022
The voice actor for Moana wrote about the news on his official Twitter account: “I am 85 years old. And I will be making my London stage debut in my legacy project, Allegiance, in January. Life really is amazing.” He wrote in a previous tweet how he feared that his career will be over by a certain age. He wrote, “When I turned 70, I thought, well that’s it.” He felt that his “great career” was “winding down.”
When I turned 70, I thought, well that’s it. I’ve had a great career, but it’s winding down.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) November 27, 2022
Boy was I wrong. I found social media, and then a second wind at my sails in my 70s! I made my Broadway debut at 78, and I’ll make my London debut at 85.
Life is wonderful and magical.
But he was wrong. He found social media, which gave him “then a second wind at my sails in my 70s!” He did his first show on Broadway when he was 78 years old, and he is now getting ready to do a show in London. Broadway World says that Tara Overfield will be in charge of the choreography for the show in the United Kingdom. Telly Leung, who is in “Glee,” will join George Takei on stage.
When I turned 70, I thought, well that’s it. I’ve had a great career, but it’s winding down.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) November 27, 2022
Boy was I wrong. I found social media, and then a second wind at my sails in my 70s! I made my Broadway debut at 78, and I’ll make my London debut at 85.
Life is wonderful and magical.
This British country Andrew Hilton and Charlie Ingles will also be in charge of the show’s musical direction and orchestration. The lighting design was done by Nic Farman, the sound design was done by Chris Whybrow, and Sarah Leung Casting was in charge of casting the project. The musical, which was based on George’s time in internment camps, opened in San Diego and quickly became a hit on Broadway, according to Mirror UK.
George grew up in California, and he remembers the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, which led President Roosevelt to declare war on Japan.
Over 2,400 people were killed in the attack, which destroyed more than 300 American planes and sank 20 warships. But the US quickly fought back. One hundred and twenty thousand Japanese Americans, including George and his family, were taken away and put in camps for the next four years.
This is something the openly gay actor will definitely be thinking about when he performs in the musical in London in January. Eighty years have passed since the terrible attack on Pearl Harbor, but George remembers it like it happened just yesterday. He remembers the day after the bombing by saying, “My father came into the room I shared with my brother Henry and told us to wait in the living room while he and my mother did some hasty packing.”
He added, “We went and stood by the window, gazing out at the neighborhood. Suddenly, we saw two soldiers marching up our driveway, carrying rifles fixed with bayonets. They used them to bang on our front door. We were terrified. We couldn’t understand what was happening.”
In his London Broadway show, Takei will talk about his time as a child in internment camps. It will take place in London from January 7 to April 8.