Patricia Ward Kelly to Celebrate Life of Late Husband Gene Kelly at Harris Center, 9/25

In this unique, live one-woman show, described as "mesmerizing" and "a real treat" by Variety, Patricia Ward Kelly - Gene Kelly's wife and biographer - gives us his story. Taking the Harris Center audience behind the scenes, she presents an intimate portrait of this innovative artist who gave us such iconic works as An American in Paris and Singin' in the Rain.

Using brilliant film clips, previously unreleased audio recordings, personal keepsakes, and stories Gene Kelly shared with her over their decade together, Patricia Kelly guides us on an unforgettable journey. Entertainment Tonight calls it "Truly personal - a rarity...," and the The Hollywood Reporter declares the show to be "Endearingly entertaining..." It's a first-hand look into the life and heart of the man who changed the look of dance on film and became one of the world's most beloved stars.

GENE KELLY: THE LEGACY ? An Evening with Patricia Ward Kelly takes place on Friday, September 25, 2015 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are priced at $19-$39, Premium $45; Students with ID: $12. Tickets are available online at www.harriscenter.net or from Harris Center Ticket Office at 916-608-6888 from noon to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday, and two hours before show time. Parking is included in the price of the ticket. Harris Center is located on the west side of Folsom Lake College campus in Folsom, CA, facing East Bidwell Street.

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.

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 was a joyous performer. His engaging onscreen personality is so accessible we feel like we know him. In fact, we know very little. A legendary dancer, director and choreographer, he brought astonishing grace, athleticism and masculinity to the big screen. He was a dancer whose athletic style transformed the movie musical and did much to change the American public's conception of male dancers.

Kelly excelled at so many things over the course of his lengthy career, it seemed like he could have successfully tackled virtually any aspect of motion picture performing or production. His remarkable talents as a dancer were justifiably legendary. From his early days in Broadway hits like Pal Joey (1940-41), it was clear that Kelly possessed extraordinary prowess and also proved to be a particularly adept choreographer. In classic Golden Age musicals like Cover Girl (1944), Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949), On the Town (1949), An American in Paris (1951), and, most famously, Singin' in the Rain (1952), Kelly dazzled and delighted audiences worldwide by often creating technical innovations that made his performances even more astounding, particularly his dance with animated partner Jerry Mouse in Anchors Aweigh (1945). Kelly's technical skills also made him an astute director. In addition to co-directing some of his best MGM outings, Kelly did further work in that capacity later in life, helming such pictures as A Guide for the Married Man (1967) and Hello Dolly! (1969). When traditional musicals fell out of favor in the late 1950s, Kelly switched genres and proved to be a fine dramatic actor in fare like Inherit the Wind (1960). While he had several contemporaries who possessed dancing and singing skills that were comparable to his own - rival Fred Astaire being the most notable - there were precious few, if any, performers who could match Kelly when it came to the total package.

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