SAN FRANCISCO—Today, Jan. 26, is the final day of a woefully short run of a brilliantly arranged, magical montage of performers—you name it, there is something for everyone at Divine Performing Arts Chinese New Year Spectacular at the Orpheum Theater.
One interviewee aptly regards it as theatre imbued with consciousness.
Last night, intrepid patrons braved the gusty winds and driving rain, coming from all around to participate in this grand cultural celebration.
In the lovely mission-style atrium of the Orpheum, a benevolent Emperor from the Qing Dynasty was there to greet, and a colorful and affectionate lion was prancing playfully through the crowd.
At intermission, Victoria Smith of Oakland, mentioned that she had worked at the Paramount Theater for many years, and adores the various bay area theaters, including the Orpheum.
She currently works as an advertising consultant for the Oakland Tribune, and has a degree in journalism. The company provided her with four tickets, so she invited her close Chinese friend, Rose, and her friends, to come.
Rose is an author, and reviews western bestsellers from America for the public in China. She is currently working on a novel that addresses the subject of "culture shock." Victoria spoke admiringly of Rose's commitment to fostering African-American children. They both had enthusiastic praise for the show.
Munzer Alsamman and his lovely wife Ruba came to see the show. Alsamman mentioned that they often go to theater performances, but this time, he was interested in trying something "more unusual." They both agreed that the Spectacular was indeed that, and they enjoyed its content very much.
After the show, John and Becky Whetten of Alamo, picked up some CDs of the show for their children. In honor of the new year, they brought three couples with them to see the show.
John, retired, is a former CEO of Challenge Dairy Products, which does a brisk business with China and 37 other countries. They haven't been there [China] yet, but now feel strongly compelled to go.
They wouldn't expect to see a show like this in China, due to the human rights issues that are so obviously a part of contemporary China today. They were grateful that the show did not shy away from the truth. They are also well aware of how the consequences of not telling the truth does damage in the world today.
They both embrace and try to live the understanding that "the truth will set you free." Becky has a life-long love of drums, and thought they were incredible. She has a background in ballet and recognizes how rigorous the dancers' training must be: a "step beyond" the fundamentals of ballet.
Both wholeheartedly agreed that they will be back for future performances, and will also keep track of the tour locations, perhaps even synchronizing with performances while traveling.
Gratefully, the inclement weather locally appears to be lifting. If you haven't seen the show yet, there are still some remaining seats available.
You don't want to miss the grand finale performance of this year's Spectacular , which is guaranteed to raise the roof, and shed some tears for its departure. So treat yourself to a precious gift of this show with a lion's share of heart, strength, and goodwill for the Lunar New Year.
Starting on Jan. 30, all three touring groups will perform at the NTDTV Chinese New Year Splendor for 15 shows at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Divine Performing Arts performances. For dates and times of their world tour visit: http://www.divineperformingarts.com/sy/ticket_info.
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