TORONTO—Screenwriter Peter Campbell had seen Shen Yun advertisements for years, but only when a friend mentioned attending the classical Chinese dance production, did he realize, “I should go to that.”  He attended the Toronto performance at Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on July 28.

He’s so glad he did.

Mr. Campbell has been in the entertainment industry for years as an actor, writer, and co-founder of Spiced Reality Productions. He’s written for film and TV, with his short film “Taking Possession” having screened at festivals in Canada and around the world.

At intermission, he commented that he was “loving it,” noting what he called “the three C’s: “costumes, color, and choreography.”

“It’s great from the opening. As soon as the curtain goes up, it’s beautiful, and I loved every second of it,” he said.

“I’m loving it,” Mr. Campbell said. “Actually, well, I knew the dances were going to be very good,” he said.

But he was surprised by the patented 3D backdrop. It allows characters to appear onstage as dancers and then onscreen as animations to continue their journeys, whether flying to celestial kingdoms or shape-shifting into mythical creatures.

“I love how the backdrop is more than just a backdrop. It’s universal. People are coming in and out of it. … All along [the performance], it’s fantastic.”

In addition, the whole experience of a live performance feels more real to someone than watching a film. “When it’s live in front of you, it’s live in front of you. There’s no CGI or AI or whatever you want to use. It’s … right there happening right there at that moment, which is … more touching. You feel it more. It’s … an experience versus just an event.”

Aarika and Todd Lafraniere also attended the matinee performance. They, too, spoke about Shen Yun from the perspective of their experience and backgrounds.

Mr. Lafraniere, a retired high school teacher, believes that because Shen Yun performs a classical art form, it would be wonderful for young people to see it because traditional is “where our roots come from.”

Ms. Lafraniere is in the military and previously taught ballroom dancing. She commented on the level of commitment and dedication she saw onstage from the super-talented, super-powerful dancers.

She also respects the performers’ courage. Shen Yun has been subjected to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) harassment for years. The CCP is threatened by Shen Yun showing China’s past—the beauty, kindness, and its foundation based on spiritual beliefs-- as opposed to the current atheist regime and the troubled culture it spawned.

This past spring, Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre cancelled Shen Yun’s scheduled performances due to a series of bomb threats. The current Toronto tour makes up for that unfortunate event.