Mike Masaoka tried to avert the mass expulsion by offering to have the Nisei form a "suicide battalion" to undertake the most dangerous missions, with their parents held in government camps as hostages to ensure the loyalty of the soldiers. The Army quickly rejected the idea.
As the first anniversary of Pearl Harbor approached, Masaoka called an emergency meeting of the JACL in Salt Lake City, and Masaoka steered the group to petition the government to reopen the draft to the Nisei. The government responded by accepting volunteers for a segregated combat team led by white officers, and Masaoka was the first to volunteer for it.
A year later, in January 1944, the War Department did reinstitute the draft for the Nisei in the camps, sparking dissent and, at Heart Mountain, the organization of the Fair Play Committee to protest for clarification of their rights. Camp administrators watched anxiously as the first draft orders reached Heart Mountain, but on the day the first group was called all 17 boarded the bus that took them to their pre-induction physicals. Then the trouble started.
As the first anniversary of Pearl Harbor approached, Masaoka called an emergency meeting of the JACL in Salt Lake City, and Masaoka steered the group to petition the government to reopen the draft to the Nisei. The government responded by accepting volunteers for a segregated combat team led by white officers, and Masaoka was the first to volunteer for it.
A year later, in January 1944, the War Department did reinstitute the draft for the Nisei in the camps, sparking dissent and, at Heart Mountain, the organization of the Fair Play Committee to protest for clarification of their rights. Camp administrators watched anxiously as the first draft orders reached Heart Mountain, but on the day the first group was called all 17 boarded the bus that took them to their pre-induction physicals. Then the trouble started.
Review: A TRIP TO THE MOON at DreamWrights
by Sandra Harberger - April 06, 2024
DreamWrights is performing “A Trip to the Moon” by Tracy Wells under the direction of Crystal Ganong from April 5th to April 14th. This vignette-style play will take you back to the summer of 1969 in America when everyone was talking about landing on the moon, Woodstock, and Vietnam. Each short ...
Review: THE PREMIERE PREMIERES at The Premiere Playhouse
by Sonja Niles - February 16, 2024
What did our critic think of THE PREMIERE PREMIERES at The Premiere Playhouse?...
Industry Pro Newsletter: Con Edison Ends Arts Philanthropy, Voting Now Open for Next on Stage
by Alex Freeman - November 20, 2023
As we prepare for the parade (and we’ve got your guide on the Broadway performances below), we also get some good news out of the UK where Panto producers report that ticket sales are trending strongly in the right direction for the holiday tradition....
Con Edison Becomes Latest Philanthropic Contributor to Turn Away From the Arts
by Cara Joy David - November 20, 2023
New York energy company Con Edison, a longtime local supporter of the arts, is the latest corporation to back away from funding them. Dwindling local corporate giving has been a problem across the country, as I’ve previously written. But this Con Ed move is surprising given that the company reinfo...
Review: ALL MY SONS at Road Less Traveled Theater
by Michael Rabice - November 17, 2023
How an American dream ends up as an American tragedy pretty much sums up the gut wrenching production of ALL MY SONS now playing at Road Less Traveled Theater. Arthur Miller's 1947 classic immerses the audience is post World War II Americana, where the pangs of the war are still felt and a quest for...
World Premiere of EMIGRE ORATORIO by Aaron Zigman and Mark Campbell to be Performed by Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic
by Chloe Rabinowitz - November 14, 2023
Don't miss the world premiere performance of Aaron Zigman's new oratorio, Emigré, featuring the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and members of the New York Philharmonic. Learn more about this powerful musical collaboration and the inspiring story it tells....
Interview: Playwright/Director Chay Yew Leads the Charge for Filipino Inclusion with THE HOUSE OF BALUYOT: A FILIPINO ORESTEIA
by Gil Kaan - November 09, 2023
Next up at the Getty Villa Theater Lab, Guelan Varela-Luarca and Chay Yew’s The House of Baluyot: A Filipino Oresteia for two performances only November 18th and 19th. Guelan and Chay also direct this work-in-progress with the cast of Ramon de Ocampo, Tess Lina, Zandi De Jesus, Reggie Lee, Andres ...
Alex Boniello, Damon J. Gillespie, and More Will Lead Industry Presentation of THE WAY OUT
by Stephi Wild - October 30, 2023
The Way Out will host an industry presentation this week. Directed by Dave Solomon, the cast includes Gus Birney, Alex Boniello, Sebastian Delascasas, Damon J. Gillespie, Chris Gray and Elizabeth Teeter....
Student Blog: Roulette III: Through the Decades
by Student Blogger: Grace Schofield - October 04, 2023
This past week, I had the absolute pleasure of debuting a brand new play of mine at my school, Dobbins Conservatory for Theatre and Dance. This is probably one of my new favorite pieces I’ve ever written and I’m sad to let it go so soon, but I could not be happier with how it went. This month, I...
NFL DRAFT: THE PICK IS IN Scores with the #1 Roku Original Documentary Premiere
by Michael Major - August 29, 2023
The new and returning users that streamed the documentary also skewed younger and outperformed the average 18-44 age audience for The Roku Channel. “NFL Draft: The Pick Is In” followed four teams during the 2023 NFL Draft weekend: the Carolina Panthers, the Indianapolis Colts, the Dallas Cowboys...
Interview: Min Kahng of the 20TH ANNIVERSARY NEW WORKS FESTIVAL at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Uses Absurdity to Explore Humanity
by Jim Munson - July 27, 2023
BroadwayWorld talks to celebrated Bay Area playwright/composer Min Kahng about his rollicking new show 'Happy Pleasant Valley: A Senior Sex Scandal Murder Mystery Musical,' which is part of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's 20th Anniversary New Works Festival at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto Augu...
Review: HAIR- THE TRIBAL LOVE ROCK MUSICAL at Seacoast Repertory Theatre
by Dan Marois - July 24, 2023
'Hair' is well worth seeing especially for those who lived through the tumultuous times....
Interview: Playwright francisca da Silveira Can Touch A Lot of People By Making a Mean Cookie
by Gil Kaan - April 30, 2023
Up next for the Rogue Machine, NNPN’s rolling premiere of francisca da Silveira’s can i touch it? opening May 6, 2023 at the Matrix. Gregg T. Daniels directs the cast of Safiya Fredericks, Suzen Baraka, Iesha Daniels and Scott Victor Nelson. francisca massaged some non-rehearsal time availabili...
New Arts Center, Theatre Rehearsal Space Opens in Midtown Manhattan
by A.A. Cristi - April 21, 2023
A new arts center is opening in midtown Manhattan to provide rehearsal and teaching space for performing arts organizations. Houghton Hall Arts Community offers 17,000 square feet of rehearsal rooms, acting studios, offices, and meeting space to performing arts organizations, teachers, actors, and o...
ESPN Descends Upon Kansas City to Present the 2023 NFL Draft Across Multiple Platforms
by Michael Major - April 17, 2023
ESPN’s longstanding tradition of presenting the NFL Draft, dating back to 1980, continues as The Walt Disney Company will present the 2023 NFL offseason’s signature event from Kansas City across ESPN, ABC, ESPN Radio, ESPN Deportes and ESPN’s social media platforms over the course of the Draft...
Student Blog: My Book is Being Published!
by Student Blogger: Allie Beckerman - April 11, 2023
I don’t know much about the process of creating a new musical, but I imagine the fundamentals are similar to writing a book (only with music). The creator/author writes a draft, edits the draft, edits more, and then goes in search of someone who can help bring their words/music to life....
BRU Craft and Wurst Presents 10th Anniversary Block Party To Celebrate A Decade In Center City
by Stephi Wild - March 30, 2023
Craft Concepts Group and Owner Teddy Sourias celebrate a decade of their first big signature flagship restaurant and bar. CCG presents the BRU Craft & Wurst 10th Anniversary Block Party on Sunday, April 2, 2023, from 11:00am to 8:00pm....
Interview: Emily Feldman Talks 'Me Too' Origins of THE BEST WE COULD, Being Inspired by Thornton Wilder & More
by Chloe Rabinowitz - February 17, 2023
Read BroadwayWorld's interview with playwright Emily Feldman, as she discusses the world premiere of her play The Best We Could, now playing at Manhattan Theatre Club....
Stove and Co. Restaurant Group Announces New Boutique Steakhouse Heading to Malvern
by Chloe Rabinowitz - January 04, 2023
Stove and Co. Restaurant Group is continuing its takeover of the Main Line and Western Suburbs with news of a new boutique restaurant opening in Malvern this winter. Owners Justin Weathers and Joe Monnich announced Joey Chops will open this February....
Interview: Playwright Yilong Liu and Director Chay Yew Talk GOOD ENEMY At Minetta Lane Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - November 12, 2022
Audible Theater presents the world premiere production of Good Enemy. Read our interview with the show's author, Audible Theater Emerging Playwright Yilong Liu and its Obie Award-winning director, Chay Yew....
Interview: Jemma Kennedy on her new guide to creative process, THE PLAYWRIGHT'S JOURNEY
by Bryony Rae Taylor - November 02, 2022
Jemma Kennedy on her new guide to creative process, THE PLAYWRIGHT'S JOURNEY...
NYC Department Of Cultural Affairs Launches PUBLIC ART AS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Pilot
by A.A. Cristi - October 18, 2022
The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has announced Harnessing History: Tracing the Legacy of the Lyons Family, a series of virtual public convenings that will focus on the legacy of the Lyons family as a lens for examining a century of Black life and activism in America. ...
GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR, The Behind-the-Scenes Battle Splayed Out In Public
by Cara Joy David - October 09, 2022
It surprised the industry this week when playwright David Adjmi went public about his own tale of developing an Oscar Levant play with Sean Hayes – and not the one that will be seen on Broadway this spring. It has become a he said/they said battle, but BroadwayWorld has the most info in the war of...
Rooftop Musical Society to Present HAIR in November
by Blair Ingenthron - October 08, 2022
This November (11/4-11/6 & 11/10-11/12) Rooftop Musical Society will take on HAIR, The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical with book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. The production marks the company's return to fully-staged musicals after their pandemic hiatus. Kn...
TP's ANAK DATU Opens CCP's New Black Box Theatre
by Oliver Oliveros - September 11, 2022
Tanghalang Pilipino’s stage adaptation of National artist Abdulmari Imao’s short story published in 1972, 'Anak Datu,' marks the public opening of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ newly launched black box theatre, the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez, which shall also serve as the CCP’s tem...
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