What one person learned from Gene Kelly
She was an aspiring actress fed up with the theater, but the famous dancer gave her a new perspective.
from the March 29, 2007 edition
Page 3 of 3
And he did, every performance. Step. Hop. Flap. Hop. Flap. Flap. Flap. Ball change!
During one performance, Mr. Kelly asked me why I always looked so sad. I told him I was just tired. He didn't believe me and probed further. I ended up pouring out all the fear and bitterness I felt, and how I planned to leave the company right after his show closed.
"Don't let them bother you," he told me. "The ones who are the most insecure are the ones who are the meanest. True talent seems to show itself most often in kindness."
He urged me to finish the season.
I took his advice.
I made it through the summer with calmness and confidence, and actually found myself enjoying my work. The cruelty didn't go away, but my reaction to it did.
And over the years, his words have come winging back to me when someone is being ugly or confrontational.
In his last performance, Mr. Kelly and I were standing in the wing waiting for his encores. The wine cask that was never used stood forlornly near us. I told him the story of how gracious the vintners were to loan it to us and how sorry I was they missed his show.
"Quick!" he said. "Run and get me a marker from the autograph table."
And on the top of the wine cask in a very neat hand he wrote, "Thanks for helping to make 'Take Me Along' the success that it is. Much love, Gene Kelly."
He didn't have to do it. But he did.
True talent shows itself most often in kindness.
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