Kelly Strayhorn Theater Presents a Gene Kelly Birthday Event For The Community
Saturday, August 21st | 2 PM Paper Making Workshop
Saturday, August 21st | 3 PM Gene Kelly’s “Cover Girl”
The doors of the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater will open to the community for a free workshop and $2 movie tickets to celebrate the life and talent of one of its namesakes, Pittsburgh’s own Gene Kelly (1912-96). A hands-on workshop, theater tours, a Kelly film, and birthday cake will be featured. The workshop is free and movie tickets are $2; no reservations are needed.
The afternoon celebration will feature a hand-made paper workshop led by East Liberty artist, Erika Johnson, beginning at 2 pm. Her installation “uproot”, comprised of hand-made, recycled paper circles is on display in the theater lobby. Those participating in the workshop for all ages will get to make their own circles of hand-made paper and will contribute to the completion of “uproot” which will feature the work created at the event.
Free tours of the theater, running from 2 to 3 pm will provide background on the history of the former Regent Theatre, a film house that opened when the building was completed in 1914. Now, the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater will announce its 11th season of its own productions of vibrant arts programming while also providing a venue to a variety of local organizations.
A Kelly film, COVER GIRL (1944), featuring the dance and film icon with Rita Hayworth, will be shown at 3 pm with an admission of just $2 per ticket at the door. The film is the third of the $2 Classics series offered during the summer at KST. In COVER GIRL, Hayworth portrays chorus girl, Rusty Parker, who wins a cover girl contest for ‘Vanity’ magazine because she’s the image of her grandmother, the lost love of the magazine’s mogul. But her instant fame throws her romance with her dancing mentor Danny McGuire, played by Kelly, for a loop.
“We love inviting the community to take part in the arts and learn more about our past and present at the Kelly Strayhorn,” says Yvonne Hudson, marketing and development director, who will give the tours. “It’s wonderful to hear stories about the building’s days as a movie theater and to be screening one of Mr. Kelly’s wonderful films again.”
Gene Kelly and his family–all five Kelly children were dancers who participated in their mother’s dance school–lived in the East Liberty area of Pittsburgh. Kelly was born on August 23, 1912 and passed away in 1996; his centennial birthday will be celebrated in two years. A University of Pittsburgh graduate, Gene went on to film fame. The Kelly Strayhorn is named for Kelly and Pittsburgh jazz great Billy Strayhorn. The KST also annually celebrates Strayhorn’s birthday with “Suite Life,” this year on Saturday, November 27.
Details on the Gene Kelly Birthday Party event and the Kelly Strayhorn, visit www.kelly-strayhorn.org. Call 412.363.3000.
