Mr. Littau, who manages a plumbing company, said, “It was great. I thought it was very beautiful, very well done. [Shen Yun] put on an excellent performance. It was extremely well-performed and well put-together.”
He said he was amazed at the dancers’ skill and physical training and how the performers told the stories through dance. “I was really surprised,” he said, “by their agility and their ability to move. I liked how they intertwined the whole story of what's going on in China as well. I thought that was tastefully done.”
He liked how Shen Yun raised awareness of the persecution. “I think it's a great way to get that message out. It's a different way, and it's a little bit unexpected. I think a lot of people probably are expecting something different. So, when you weave that in, it's a pretty powerful message,” he said.
“I'm a very devout Christian myself. But I can see the similarities, and I can appreciate, I appreciate the messaging of atheism and evolution being false religions, essentially. And I certainly agree with that,” Mr. Littau said.
Theatergoer Says Putting the Communist Persecution on Stage Raises Awareness
Friends C.J. Vassar and Shirley Daniel waited in expectation for Shen Yun Performing Arts.
Mr. Vasser surprised his friend with Shen Yun. Ms. Daniel, who retired from the Chicago Police Department, said, “I love it. I've been waiting for this every time it came on TV. It’s very beautiful. He got it for my birthday.”
Mr. Vasser said, “I think that they're trying to talk about China prior to communism, of course, and the repression of culture in Communist China.” He said that putting this on stage raises awareness.
Mr. Vasser, a general manager in logistics, said, “It's like magical. I like the special effects—the technology I didn't expect. I just thought it was the dancers and the colors, which are great.”
They both enjoyed several pieces in the program, especially “How the Monkey King Came to Be” and “Scholarly Affection,” where a young lady snuck into school pretending to be a boy.
He also enjoyed the singer who sang in Chinese while the lyrics in English were projected on the backdrop.” I don't speak Chinese, so I had to read the [lyrics] in English. It was easy to read, and I like the message.”
Mr. Vasser summed up his experience attending Shen Yun as “it’s beyond my expectations.” In two words: “It’s beautiful. Magical.”
