CHICAGO—The Civic Opera House buzzed with excitement, awaiting Shen Yun Performing Arts on May 2. Matt Littau brought his wife and family to see Shen Yun for the first time.

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.”

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive 5,000 years of the traditional culture of China before communism. Mr. Littau said, “I think they did a really good job of kind of telling the story of [China’s] history.”

He enjoyed several of the dance dramas, especially ”How the Monkey King Came to Be,” “You Reap What You Sow,” and “The Steadfast Heart,” which, according to the Shen Yun program, “reflects the reality faced by countless people in China today. … Falun Dafa practitioners could once be found in parks across China. But in 1999, the communist regime, fearing the practice’s popularity, launched a brutal campaign to wipe it out.”

“I thought the story of the mother and son, I think it was ‘The Steadfast Heart,’ was a pretty powerful one. I’m aware of this persecution of Falun Gong [practitioners], and I’m aware of the forced organ harvesting that’s going on over in China,” he said.

He liked how Shen Yun let people know about 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.

Mr. Littau appreciated the similarities with Christianity and traditional Chinese culture in the divine aspects. The opening scene features the Creator followed by divine beings coming to earth to save humanity.

“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.

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.”

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive the traditional culture of China before communism. Mr. Vasser appreciated the importance of Chinese culture, and Shen Yun was “not just a show.” The communist regime has continually harassed Shen Yun as it tours the world.

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.”

Mr. Vasser was amazed at how perfectly the music synchronized with the movements on stage. “It’s great; it’s so choreographed. The dancers are just spot on, like when they do the flips, and they just hit the cymbals right. It’s impressive,” he said.

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 sings in Chinese while the lyrics in English are 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.”