A San Antonio-based theater director saw Shen Yun in his hometown on Aug. 6. He praised Shen Yun as a feast of art and spirit.
“It was really beautiful. It was very moving, and very, very professionally done, but also surprisingly spiritual and a real celebration,” said Tim Hedgepeth, a theater director and an assistant professor. “I think of joy and humanity that we don’t see a lot. And so I was very, very moved.”
Tim Hedgepeth is an assistant professor at Northwest Vista College and the recipient of ten Globe awards for excellence in Directing and Acting. He currently serves as a director of various art committees and theaters and also co-founded a stage company in San Antonio.
He said he was not only struck by Shen Yun’s beauty and technical skills, but also its spiritual depth.
“Such beautiful music and amazing, amazing dancers, and the costumes were just out of this world,” he said. “It was a treat for the eye. But it was also, I think, a treat for the heart and soul as well.”
“Very often these days, when we go see shows, especially big musicals that come to town, they’re more for entertainment, and they’re wonderful, I’m not knocking them. But there was something very lovely about this show. It asked us to look at our hearts and consider greater themes than just being entertained.”
He continued: “The understanding, I think, is that we are part of a much larger universe and that the universe is here based on goodness and joy, and kindness to one another. And the opportunity of an eternal life of joy and happiness is not only the responsibility of a higher power, but also with us as human beings and how we treat one another and how we respect the earth and the sky and nature.”
He added that he drew inspiration from the performance and will incorporate it in his own work. “And the brilliance of this production and how it matched with the projections and the lighting. And all of those projections, especially the 3D effect, blending with older traditions of dance and storytelling was really, really nice. And so I can’t wait to share some of the things I saw tonight with the people that I do theatre with. I’ve got a whole bunch of ideas that I’m going to run home and write down.”
“Especially in that final, your finale, that was really beautiful. And it was something that I think we should all aspire to.”
Hedgepeth showed his gratitude to the performers and director.
“I think they must all as a troop be very, very committed to what they’re doing, not only physically, but I think also mentally,” he said. “It was a shot of energy from the very beginning until the curtain call. And that’s exciting to get that from performers. You know, we don’t get that all the time. So their commitment to what they’re doing, I thought was quite wonderful. And the time just flew by. I can’t believe, you know, it was time to go. Again, I’m very glad we were able to see it. And I look forward to seeing it again.”
“Congratulations on a truly beautiful, professional show. And it’s something that as I said it touched my creativity in my mind, but it also touched my heart tonight and I thank you all for that.”
Shen Yun had four successful performances in San Antonio this month and will come back to Texas on Sept. 4.
NTD News, San Antonio, Texas
