In speaking of religious freedom and persecution in China, Ms. Wheeler was reacting to one of the storytelling dances in New York-based Shen Yun’s performance this year. Shen Yun, the premier classical Chinese dance and music company, aims to restore the glory of China’s past 5,000-year-old civilization, but the company also includes dances that tell a different story.

The dance, “Unprecedented Crime,” depicts events that have actually happened in the ongoing, brutal persecution in  China of a group of peaceful practitioners of Falun Gong, a spiritual path based on the principles of truth, compassion, and tolerance.

“I’ve done enough study about what’s going on in China and some historical research about what’s going on with the Falun Gong in China. So the despicable harvesting of organs is something that offends me,” she said.

She felt that it was important to spread the truth about what is happening in China. “I was talking to somebody else in the foyer here. She was interviewing another audience member, and that audience member was a hospital administrator who said that they, actually, in America, receive organs from China. So everywhere we have to be ethical, looking after where these organs are coming and absolutely not crossing that line.”

Ms. Wheeler said that the arts can spread the truth. “Art is an easy way to get into a subject. And there’s more here that people probably are a little surprised with when they first, [when] they’re looking for an artistic event, and then there’s a definite moral and ethical foundation.”

She noted the spiritual aspect of Shen Yun too. “I think we can all agree that there is something behind our creation, something behind the human that is divine.”

Ms. Wheeler encourages her friends to come to see Shen Yun. “We always just say that they need to come see it.” She talks about its artistic value, but also the ethical and moral value of Shen Yun.

Mr. Wallstron, her husband, agreed. “I enjoyed it very much. It’s beautiful. And I think it’s a disarming way of getting to people’s hearts and letting them see [that] these are things to be cherished: human life, human freedom, that spiritual sense and spiritual practices. People don’t have to practice it like we do. They need to be free, though, to do that. And when there’s [only] a materialistic and just pragmatic perspective, it’s destructive to all of us.”

“We are accountable to God,” Mr. Wallstron said. “That’s whether you’re Christian or Buddhist or whatever the religion may be, that sense of the divine that we are accountable to.”

He said the show gives a powerful message. “It’s extremely valuable. It’s humanity, our true humanity, to see that we have divine origins. In Christianity, we have the fingerprints of God on us. And other religions will speak of that divine origin. I think it’s important not to lose that.”

He had kind words for the performing artists. “It’s gratitude. Thank you. It’s beautiful. I can tell, it’s demanding of the artists and the technical aspect and the musicians. It’s very demanding to be able to do all that they do.

“The message is very powerful. And, as I said, I think it’s disarming. It reaches people with its beauty and its power with this important message.”

His parting words: “I hope people listen and pay attention. It’s a timeless and powerful message. So I want people to listen.”