(Clearwisdom.net) Two of five scheduled Philadelphia performances of the Chinese New Year Spectacular were held on Saturday, January 5, 2008, at the University of the Arts Merriam Theater. As the attendees chatted during intermission and as they left the theater, they sounded lighthearted and happy. Hundreds in the audience completed surveys, all but a few rating the show very highly.

Here are just a few comments provided by members of the audience:

It's wonderful! The costumes and choreography are fantastic--it's just spectacular.

-Mura Barrett, Registered Nurse, West Chester, PA

Mura Barrett, R.N.

Becky Jenison, a preschool teacher from Collegeville, PA, brought her two adopted daughters, Emily, age eight, and Sarah, age four. Ms. Jenison noted that the children had not previously been able to sit still for a performance past intermission. At the Spectacular, they very much wanted to stay.

"Great, great," commented Ms. Jenison about the show. "I liked when the angel girls came out in the beginning--they did it so elegantly." Emily said with a shy smile, "I liked when they played the drums."

Becky Jenison holding Sarah, with Emily by her side

"I like it a lot. The drum - the strongest part of the show--you feel it the most."

-Gregg Fehrman, structural engineer.

Gregg Fehrman and his wife Joanna

Loi, who emigrated to the United States from Vietnam, attended with her young daughter and sister. The segment she liked the best was "The Fruits of Goodness" because of the stunning imagery and the theme-- Buddhas and other celestial beings transformed two wayward youths into good, thoughtful young men.

Loi and her young daughter.

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