GENE KELLY: THE LEGACY Adds Valentine's Day Performance at The Wallis

Wallis Center for the Performing Arts ("The Wallis") announces Gene Kelly: The Legacy, an evening with Patricia Ward Kelly, for a second performance on Saturday, February 14, 2015 at 8:00 pm in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. The first announced performance, Saturday, January 10 at 8:00 pm, is completely sold out.

Gene Kelly was a joyous performer. A legendary dancer, director and choreographer, he brought astonishing grace, athleticism and masculinity to the big screen. He continues to delight and captivate us, yet we know little about him.

During a unique evening, Patricia Ward Kelly -- his widow, biographer and the person who knew him best -- presents an intimate portrait of this dynamic and innovative artist who created some of the most memorable and iconic scenes in film history.

Kelly said, "Gene loved Valentine's Day. He was a true romantic and on that day valentines would start appearing all around the house at midnight. I have always thought that the show has been a valentine to Gene, and to the love of dance and film that he brought to the largest of international audiences. It is so fitting for our show to find a home at the Beverly Hills Post Office, where his fan mail would often arrive, sometimes simply addressed to Gene Kelly, star."

Patricia Kelly's compelling presentation combines rare and familiar film clips, previously unreleased audio recordings, personal memorabilia, and insights culled from her hours of interviews and conversations with her husband. This special live program makes for a remarkable experience praised as "a real treat" by Variety and hailed as "deeply moving" and "mesmerizing."

Tickets are available at www.thewallis.org or by calling 310-746-4000 or in person at The Wallis Ticket Services located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Patricia Ward met Gene Kelly in 1985 in Washington, D.C., where she was the writer for a television special about The Smithsonian for which he was the host and narrator. Soon after, he invited her to California to write his memoir. They fell in love, married, and were together until his death in 1996.

"'I never knew that about him.' -- that's one of the most common things I hear from people following my show. Even the newspaper in Gene's hometown of Pittsburgh responded with the headline: 'And we thought we knew Gene Kelly.'" said Patricia Ward Kelly. "Many people know and love the person they see up on the screen, but few know the many dimensions of the man and his work. They do not know that he was fluent in French, was a Shabbos Goy who spoke Yiddish, studied economics, memorized and wrote poetry, frequently read a book a day, did The New York Times crossword puzzle in ink. That's one of the things that is most rewarding for me about doing the show-sharing the little lower layers that make Gene come to life for people in new and interesting ways. Gene was very guarded and revealed little about him in interviews. That he let down his guard and entrusted me with his story was a great privilege."

She added, "Each time I do the show, I learn new things from the audience and am touched by the personal stories that people share with me when I greet them before and after. He inspired many; others moved by a particular number or the way it affected them at a certain time in their lives.

Some remember being introduced to Gene's movies by a parent or grandparent, and, of course, there are many for whom he was a first 'love' -- a crush that, in some cases, has lasted for decades. So, in many ways, the experience is very reciprocal. "People often ask me if it is difficult to do the show because it is so personal and emotional. In fact, sharing the stories helps to deal with the absence, as Gene remains current and continues to influence new generations."

Currently, Patricia Ward Kelly serves as sole trustee of The Gene Kelly Image Trust and as Creative Director of Gene Kelly: The Legacy, a corporation established to celebrate Kelly's artistry worldwide. She lives in Los Angeles where she is completing the definitive book about her late husband.

GENE KELLY: THE LEGACY, currently on tour in the U.S. and abroad, premiered at sold-out evenings at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and New York City's Lincoln Center. More details about GENE KELLY: THE LEGACY can be found at www.GeneKelly.com and at "Gene Kelly The Legacy" on Facebook.

ABOUT THE WALLIS - Located in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (aka "The Wallis") brings audiences world-class theater, dance and music, performed by many of the world's most talented and sought-after artists. With eclectic programming that mirrors the diverse landscape of Los Angeles, and its notability as the entertainment capital of the world, The Wallis offers original and revered works from across the US and around the globe. This fall marks The Wallis' second season, which also includes its prestigious "Arts& Ideas" series, conversations with guests from the realms of culture, literature and politics. Housed in a breathtaking 70,000-square-foot venue designed by Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA of Studio Pali Fekete architects, The Wallis celebrates the classic and the modern. This is reflected in the juxtaposition of the restored, original 1933 Beverly Hills Post Office (on the National Register of Historic Places) that serves as the theater's dramatic yet welcoming lobby, and houses the 150-seat Lovelace Studio Theater, as well as a theater school for young people, and the contemporary 500-seat, state-of-the-art Bram Goldsmith Theater. Together, these two structures embrace the city's history and its future, creating a performing arts destination for LA-area visitors and residents alike.

Photo by Don Flood.

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