INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — This week, ‘Stage Struck 2024 Nostalgia and the Hollywood Musical’ will take place at the Palladium in Carmel.

During the event, the classic musical “Singin’ in the Rain” starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds will be screened for attendees.

Ahead of the event, the Creative Director of Gene Kelly Legacy, Patricia Ward Kelly stopped by Daybreak to speak on preserving her late husband’s legacy and other upcoming projects.

“Singin’ in the Rain,” produced by MGM, is considered one of the greatest movie musicals of all time. More than 72 years after its release in April 1952, it is still captivating audiences.

“It’s interesting. He always said I’d like to come back in 100 years to see what people are watching and we’re at 72 years and I don’t see any lessening,” Ward Kelly said.

Ward Kelly, who is also the trustee for Gene Kelly’s name, voice, and likeness, has made preserving her husband’s legacy her mission.

“He entrusted me with his life story, brought me out to California to write his memoir with him. So I recorded him in some fashion nearly every day for over 10 years, and then at his death, I inherited his archives,” she said.

Ward Kelly has represented the brand by sticking to her late husband’s wishes. In doing so, she has been selective with the projects she has chosen over the years to build on his legacy.

“I tour with two shows about him. I like Gene to be on the screen. I think he’s the best representative of himself,” she said.

Over the years, biopics and mini-series have become popular with legacy brands and many of them have seen large commercial success. 2022’s Elvis, which chronicled the life of rock and roll singer Elvis Presley, grossed $151 million in the United States and Canada. 2019’s Judy, which chronicled the last years of Judy Garland, grossed $24.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $18.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $43.2 million.

Despite the profitability, a biopic is out of the question for Ward Kelly.

“The one thing that Gene said he did not want was a biopic, so I’ve honored that … Everyone wants to do it but it’s a pretty hard act to follow. He was a triple threat, a quadruple threat, a quintuple threat. You have to find somebody who can sing, dance act,” she said.

While fans of the late actor won’t get to see someone else portray him on screen, they will learn more about him through literary works. Ward Kelly confirms a book is on the way.

“I hope to finish his memoir this year,” she said.

Ward Kelly says while the book is being completed, fans can always request a visit to the Gene Kelly archive through the website or social media pages (X formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram). Ward Kelly oversees the pages herself and checks for comments and inquiries daily.

“It takes a lot of time every day. But I think it’s really important that people feel like they have a real person to answer their questions,” she said.

For more information on the Gene Kelly Legacy, watch the full interview above. To view some of Gene Kelly’s filmography, click here.