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Mr. and Mrs. Laird enjoy Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Fred Kavli Theatre in Thousand Oaks, Calif. on Jan. 24. (Jana Li)
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif.—Mr. Gary Laird and his wife Mrs. Debra Laird saw the sold out closing show of Shen Yun Touring Company at the Fred Kavli Theatre on Jan. 24.
“The show was fabulous,” said Mr. Laird.
Mrs. Laird added, “It’s very uplifting. It’s a beautiful show.”
Mr. and Mrs. Laird own WolfHead Digital Inc. a video editing company. They have won numerous awards, including an Emmy.
Shen Yun uses digitally projected backdrops that interact with the performers.
Mr. Laird took pleasure in the innovation.
“Watching this play where it interacts with live and the visual on the screen was quite enjoyable. It’s pulling together things I would love to do, where it’s live and video and so on. It’s total entertainment,’ said Mr. Laird.
Mrs. Laird said, “I liked the incorporation of the video and the live performances. I thought that was done very well.”
The couple has visited Asia. Mrs. Laird said, “I loved the show. It was very interesting. I’ve traveled a lot in India and Nepal, near the border of Tibet, so I’ve always been interested in that and Buddhism, so I found the stories to be very interesting.”
In Shen Yun two biligual hosts introduce each song or dance in the local language and in Mandarin. Mr. Laird said they helped him follow the narrative in a comical story, When Shaolin Monks Protected the Emperor.
The Shen Yun Orchestra is unique.
Mrs. Laird said, ” The music was lovely, it’s beautiful. I like the use of different instruments. The Chinese and Western instruments together.”
Her husband added, “The music, definitely a good thing in my ears.”
“It makes you remember what is important in life. It’s a very spiritual show, and all the trouble in the world, like Tiananmen Square and people fighting for their freedoms. It’s very interesting that you can’t see this show in China. I think that would be nice [to see in China]. The freedoms there are very sad, that people don’t have,” said Mrs. Laird.
In the closing dance, “Heaven Protects the righteous, and goodness ultimately triumphs,” according to the program.
Mr. Laird left with a feeling of optimism. He said the performance left him feeling, “Very light, and fairly enlightened. Being with the gods in the clouds, you walk out feeling good. It’s a very nice feeling.”
Mrs. Laird encouraged others to experience Shen Yun: “Oh, they should come. It’s a very wonderful experience, enlightening and entertaining.”
Reporting by Jana Li and Cheryl Casati.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. Shen Yun’s Touring Company will visit Los Angeles Jan. 25 to Jan. 27. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
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