LITTLE ROCK—A writer, director, and actor saw Shen Yun Performing Arts for the first time on Jan. 2, and said, “I found myself smiling all the time.” 

Scott McEntire and his writing partner, Christian Neil, wrote the screenplay for the award-winning film Anyone. It won the Platinum Award for Best Film at the 2011 Jamfest Indie Film Festival, according to Mr. McEntire’s IMDb entry.

He said, with a charming humility, that as an actor he could not comment on the Shen Yun performers, because, “No, no, no, they are better than me. They are terrific, it’s terrific.”

The dance A Steadfast Lotus, taught him something new, and it touched him. He said he knew something about Chinese history, but was not aware of the situation in today’s China that the dance portrays. According to the program, the dance has a “plot that mirrors countless present-day stories of Chinese families torn apart, the daughter endures tribulations searching for her mother, until her steadfast faith gives her new hope.”

Mr. McEntire said, “It was a very moving part, the mother and daughter, so getting to see what’s happening currently and what we take for granted here, was exciting.” 

On a technical note, Mr. McEntire said, “the choreography, the timing between the video and the live performance is impeccable. The timing is perfect for everyone. Very coordinated; they’re very much in sync with each other.”

Shen Yun has a live orchestra, large-scale dances, and an animated projected backdrop. According to the Shen Yun website, “These digital backdrop designs complement and synchronize all aspects of the performance: the characters, color of the costumes, specific dance movements, props, lighting, the story being told, particular notes played by the orchestra, and special audio effects.”

Mr. McEntire enjoyed the visual aspect of the performance. “Oh, it’s beautiful. The colors are outstanding. It’s very exciting to watch.”

Reporting by Teresa You and Mary Silver 

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts. 

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.