SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS REVIEWS

Shen Yun a Wonderful New Experience for Retired Movie Producer

Apr 01, 2023

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.—Rich Butterfoss attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the State Theatre New Jersey on April 1.

Mr. Butterfoss, who produced documentaries for the entertainment company Lionsgate, was impressed with Shen Yun. “Everything’s perfect. Absolutely perfect. The timing was unbelievable. The timing’s really important,” he said.

With his film experience, Mr. Butterfoss appreciated the stage work. “I’ve worked on stage work. The stage work: everything was perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

Based in New York, Shen Yun was founded in 2006 by leading Chinese artists and quickly became the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company. Shen Yun’s mission is to revive traditional Chinese culture.

Mr. Butterfoss commented on how the spiritual element of Chinese culture affected him. “I think it reflects not only on that culture, but also mine. I mean, the God factor at the end was perfect. We all serve, we all worship the same God."

“I was really moved” by the music, he said. “Almost tears. Everything here was new to me. It’s a total departure from what I'd known before.”

Again, his movie experience brought new insight to the production. “Everything in movies has a beginning, the production in the middle, and an ending. And [Shen Yun] had everything. They had the perfect beginning, fluid motion all the way through until the very end when they all waved goodbye,” Mr. Butterfoss said.

“The stories are wonderful, I mean, everything was new to me,” he added.

He said he received good messages from the performance, “very Godly messages,” and that his heart was moved.

Reporting by Weiyong Zhu and Yvonne Marcotte.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. We have covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.