'Holiday Wonders' Makes Successful Carolina Debut Despite Chinese Embassy's Objection

CHARLOTTE, NC—The "Queen City" of Charlotte played host to the successful North Carolina debut of Holiday Wonders on Dec. 19 despite the objection of the Chinese embassy. The show's performers, the Divine Performing Arts Company (DPA), dazzled the Charlotte crowd with exquisite dance numbers, elaborate costumes and moving music and songs as the show played on as scheduled.

DPA arrived early Wednesday morning to a warm greeting from local fans in front of the venue, Ovens Auditorium. Several of Charlotte's major TV news stations were present to film the company's arrival in Charlotte and interview some of the members. The hot topic was the Chinese embassy's objection to Holiday Wonders.

Mary and Reade Eudy, a retired couple from Concord, NC, were the first to arrive for the Dec. 19 showing of "Holiday Wonder" in Charlotte. (The Epoch Times)

Carlos Orozco (right), an engineering professor, with his family. Orozco liked the fan dance in the program "Lightness and Grace."

Jake Speks (left), Shelly Smith (center) and Stephanie Keomanideth came with their school group from Ledford High School in Thomasville, NC. (The Epoch Times)

When asked by the media why the Chinese regime objects to Holiday Wonders, Leeshai Lemish, one of the show's hosts, said, "The Chinese embassy represents the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) which has always led people to confuse China and Chinese culture with the CCP." Lemish said that the CCP destroyed Chinese traditional culture during the Cultural Revolution, and DPA is reviving and reclaiming the heritage of the Chinese people.

Lemish said, "Our show is inspired by spiritual beliefs...and the CCP is atheistic. Any spiritual belief is fundamentally challenged." Lemish also said the show was not afraid to openly portray any topics, including spiritual beliefs and human rights—topics that the CCP suppresses in China.

Over a week earlier Ovens received phone calls from the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. discouraging the venue from holding the show (Ovens management refused to cancel the show). One of the venue's show promoter admitted she was intimidated after realizing she had received a call from a foreign embassy objecting to a show. The incident made the news in Charlotte's biggest newspaper, The Charlotte Observer, arousing local interest in the show.

Despite the objection, the show opened as scheduled Wednesday night to an enthusiastic crowd. As advertised, DPA treated the crowd to a rousing and entertaining showcase of the best of true traditional Chinese culture.

Donald McMannus, a pastor who wrote a book about a missionary who lived for a long time in China, said he liked "the Fan Dance and the resounding effect of the Tang Drums." His sister, Diane, a middle school teacher, thought "the sceneries are pretty."

Carlos Orozco, an engineering professor, has gone to China in the past and seen a few shows there. Orozco said, "This is a lot better, well organized, wonderful. I love that they speak English then switch to Chinese."

Shelly Smith, a senior at Ledfor High School in Thomasville, NC, said, "I loved the drums and the flowy sleeve ribbons."

Sydney Ling Carpenter, an adopted Chinese girl of an American couple, was shy and had to be coaxed into telling her favorite program. She whispered to her mother that she liked the Tang Dynasty drummers and the last number before intermission, "The Fruits of Goodness."

Peijong Hsieh, the show's production manager and piano accompanist, stressed the importance of culture. Hsieh said, "Culture is the root of all people. When you lose the culture, you have lost a lot." When asked how confident she was that the Chinese culture portrayed by the show was original and true, she replied, "I am 200 percent confident."

The show will play one more night in Charlotte on Dec. 20 before moving on to Greensboro, NC on Dec. 23 to finish the North Carolina tour. The tour then continues to Florida. Holiday Wonders is part of the largest Chinese performing arts series in the world. During the 2007-2008 season, the shows will play in over 50 cities to an audience of over 650,000.