United States: Audience Member in New Brunswick, NJ says "It Really Brought You to a Place Where You Didn't Expect to Go"

Divine Performing Arts (DPA) staged its Chinese New Year Spectacular at the New Jersey State Theatre in New Brunswick on January 24th. They were accompanied by a live orchestra. At this special time of the Chinese New Year, the show celebrates traditional Chinese culture. The show is hosted by bilingual (Chinese and English) emcees. Chinese dance, song, and stories present traditional Chinese themes such as truth, beauty, and unity. The orchestra is made up of both classical Western and Chinese instruments. Several audience members were asked to give their impressions of the show. Here are a few of their responses.

Tom, an information technology manager for a major pharmaceutical company, was asked by a reporter if he would consent to be interviewed. He said he would be happy to and said, "It's fantastic! It was very beautiful! There's not a lot of words I can use to explain. It was a wonderful show, and it captured a lot of the lost culture. It really brought you to a place where you didn't expect to go. It was absolutely fantastic!"

When asked if he had a favourite segment, Tom replied, "I enjoyed the drums because they brought life to everything. But I have to say the ending was breathtaking! Where the divine beings were coming down - it was just awesome! Completely breathtaking!" He said the show conveyed "a message of hope, a message of peace and faith and compassion.

Neal, a warehouse manager, and Mary, a retired teacher, attended the show together. They stopped to speak to the interviewer to give their impressions. Mary said, "I thought it was excellent! I thought it was very dramatic! And very educational. And glorious!" Neal added, "I thought it was very educational, as well. And I thought the themes were well thought out and well put together. The dancing was excellent and varied."