PHOENIX—On Feb. 22, Thaddeus Thomas enjoyed Shen Yun for the third time at the Phoenix Orpheum.

“This is the first time for the boy. It’s great to bring him to experience this unique culture,” said Mr. Thomas, retired from the Navy. He was chief petty officer and later command chief of a naval base in California.

“It was expressive, emotional, and very colorful. There’s nothing else out there like it. You have to go to Shen Yun to see this kind of performance. It’s so beautiful!”

For Mr. Thomas, watching Shen Yun has always brought him a sense of inner peace, joy, and relief. “There were a couple of times I wanted to stand up out of my chair and just clap, but I knew the program wasn’t done yet!”

“The [vocalist] was so moving. The way he was able to express the song—I didn’t have to know what the words said—I could understand what he was trying to convey.”

The artists are expected to visit over 180 cities this season.

Reflecting on a story-based dance piece depicting the suffering of Chinese people at the hands of the communist party and its heinous organ trafficking market—Mr. Thomas said he was touched by Shen Yun’s commitment to telling the truth.

“It was the most moving piece,” he said. “I was shocked! I knew it was happening but I’ve never seen anyone portray it and show the brutality of what it is. It was very sad.”

“The world should see it. China needs to see it,” Mr. Thomas added adamantly. “[Shen Yun] is portraying China the way we all want it to be—before Mao, before communism and the one-party system—this is how it should be.”