"It's Just Beautiful!" Says Former Miss America (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) Word of Shen Yun's upcoming appearance at the Music Center's Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, in Los Angles, California, on July 8-11, 2010, spread like wildfire throughout the City of Angels' art and entertainment community.

TV and film actress Lee Meriwether.

Veteran Actress and Former Miss America: "It's Just Beautiful!"

Among the bevy of actors, actresses, and film producers who attended the show, was Ms. Lee Meriwether, a former Miss America and veteran stage, TV, and film actress.

When Ms. Meriwether learned of the show, she decided to take her granddaughter along for an evening out.

Although she didn't initially know what to expect, she was very happy that she came.

"It's beautiful! The dancing is unbelievable, it's so marvelous! I'm very impressed," she said during intermission.

"It's just beautiful!" she exclaimed. "I'm amazed at the dancing ... so beautifully interwoven with all the beautiful costuming, and the music is lovely."

She was also impressed with the tenor and the soprano vocalists, as well as the digital backdrop.

Having grown up in San Francisco, Ms. Meriwether said she had always admired the Chinese culture.

She said that none of the shows that she had seen there was as grand as this. "This is quite gorgeous, really beautiful," she said enthusiastically.

Ms. Meriwether hoped that more people would come to see Shen Yun before it left Los Angles.

"I have a feeling that it's going to be filling up every evening," she concluded.

"I Loved the colors," Says Fashion Designer

Fashion designer David Hayes was among the many enchanted theater goers during the opening night show.

Fashion designer David Hayes was among the many distinguished guests attending the Shen Yun show.

"I dress everybody from Audrey Hepburn to Nancy Reagan," says Hayes, describing his work.

When the fashion designer was asked to give his opinion of Shen Yun's costumes, he replied, "I loved them. I love the color!

"There was no red--except on the back of the blouse," he observed. "All the beautiful colors that make women beautiful--I loved the colors, loved them."

Hayes also enjoyed the dancers and the dance steps, saying, "I love the way they do them--all the little jumps. I thought it was wonderful. Better than any ballet I've seen. It was beautiful."

Inspired by the film, The Last Emperor, Hayes said that he yearned to visit the ancient land of China. This may be one of the reasons why he was so fond of Shen Yun's portrayal of China's legends and stories through the different dances.

Avatar Production Designer: Shen Yun "Absolutely Beautiful"

Emmy and Academy Award winner, Robert Stromberg, production designer for the movies Avatar and Alice in Wonderland.

As the production designer for Avatar and Alice in Wonderland, Emmy and Academy Award winner, Robert Stromberg, thought the Shen Yun show was "absolutely beautiful." "It was so inspiring, I think I may have found some new ideas for the next Avatar.

"It was a very unique performance. It was tremendous to see the wide range of different types of performing arts come together as one. It's really beautiful to see that as one single performance," he said.

As a top visual artist in his field, Mr. Stromberg praised "the color, the lights, and the movement." He also thought the performers were " fantastic!" adding, "I thought it was wonderful."

Shen Yun's quality and attention to detail thoroughly impressed the producer.

"It's obviously very poetic. The subtlety and attention to detail and synchronization is astounding," Mr. Stromberg explained.

"It's nice to finally see part of Chinese culture and understand the history."

He also said that some of the dances were a source of inspiration to him.

"I especially loved the dances where they synchronized the sounds as well with the costumes and what they're wearing--the women with the silver and the men with the chopsticks.

"The environments, the background, the use of color, the use of color and costume together--those types of things were very unique and inspirational," he said.

"A Wonderful Experience"

Being a film professional, Mr. Stromberg thought that the digital backdrops added a lot to the show: "It was an interesting use of an interactive element, which I think, as it develops it, could become a new art form in itself--a live performance mixed with digital projection and maybe 3-D eventually, who knows.

"Using those two techniques together, it would be almost like going to the theater and the movies at the same time," he said.

Mr. Stromberg felt a deep appreciation for Shen Yun's portrayal of traditional Chinese culture: "Working as a designer myself, I have done a lot of research on China and the landscapes of China and how beautiful they are. Seeing a traditional performance with the authentic dance moves and authentic backgrounds--it all came together.

"What can I say? It was a terrific performance and a wonderful experience."

Robert Stromberg won Emmy Awards and an Academy Award for his work as a special-and visual-effects artist.

During his time on Star Trek, Mr. Stromberg earned an Emmy Award. Since then, he has been nominated for and has won a number of Emmy Awards for his television and film work.

In 2010, he (along with others) won the Academy Award for Best Achievement in Art Direction for Avatar.

Source:

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/38880/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/38901/

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/38849/