“Enjoyment is healing,” said Mr. Thorton who works at Thorton’s construction company. “When you’re in a good mood, and when you’re happy about things, that definitely heals the soul. It awakens your mind. I'll be talking about this for months.”

“The show raises your spirits. When you have a good feeling internally—that’s got to be [a] remedy for the body,” he added.

“I think everybody should try to be as safe as possible. But by all means, spend time with your family, do things with your family, and certainly spend time watching what these people have put forth years to produce. No pandemic can stop humans from doing that,” he said.

“Incredible. Beautiful. Stunning. It’s a visual experience with all the colors—all the dancers moving. It’s very rhythmic and precise,” he said. “Makes the hair stand up with with the technical aspect of what they do.”

Bill and Sarah Hankins were also in the audience this evening. They shared similar opinions on how the pandemic should not keep people from living their lives.

“We weren’t afraid, we wanted to come and see it. When we saw it advertised, we said we were coming,” Ms. Hankins said.

“I’m sorry it’s just one night, we’d come back the second night and see it again,” Ms. Hankins said.

As a retired gymnastics judge, she was enthusiastic to say that she would give Shen Yun a 10!

“Oh! It’s wonderful, beautiful, very good. I’d give them a 10! I’m amazed at how together everything is, it’s just wonderful.”

“I just think it’s the path to heaven, that we do need to listen to what’s been said and believe in the way to afterlife to get to heaven, be considerate. And it’s a shame this can’t be seen in China.”

“Beautiful, absolutely beautiful, the colors are wonderful, the stories are fantastic. It’s an event that people can go home and remember,” Mr. Hankins said.