A classic of the musical genre has been explored by Prior’s Court young people, with the backing of Patricia Ward Kelly, the wife of the late Gene Kelly.

Throughout January, February and March this year, young people in performing arts sessions were empowered to explore Gene Kelly’s all-time classic “Singin’ in the Rain” from the 1952 musical of the same name.

This culminated in a series of immersive experiences at the end of March.

Patricia Ward Kelly came to the opening of our Piper Arts Centre performing arts facility in June last year, as a guest of Prior’s Court Ambassador Josh Tuafua. Inspired by the opening performance, Patricia was keen to see how autistic young people with complex needs would interact with the films and music of her late husband’s performances.

Patricia reached out to Prior’s Court following the initial performance to discuss the potential use of her late husband's work within the new Piper Arts Centre.

The opportunity to use and explore Singin’ in the Rain supported the Spring term learning themes, working well alongside multimedia and mime.

Sessions over the course of ten weeks of learning featured exploration of props, costume and character through play, and group work, incorporating a multimedia approach.

Tanya Morgan, Performing Arts Co-Lead at Prior’s Court, said: "The young people got more creative and more engaged in the activities as the weeks went on.

“We created a narrative through gesture and body language and the young people also explored this through their facial expressions. They developed play through group games, for example dancing or jumping in puddles, the use of props to support narrative.

“It was amazing to see how the young people transform the performing space through the use of umbrellas and the playfulness that it brought.”

The resonance of Gene Kelly

Elise Robinson, Performing Arts Co-Lead at Prior’s Court, said: “Obviously with the music itself, that is a very well-known soundtrack and the young people have responded to that really, really well and encouraged their movements. And actually some of them, they have a recognition of this music and of this music video because they're automatically, high kicking, swinging from side to side.

“They've got some recognition of the sort of iconic dance moves that Gene Kelly performs. And it's been really nice to draw on what they already know from this very iconic piece, sort of introduce little other movements into that.”

Fredi and Ewan exploring Singin' in the Rain in Piper Arts Centre sessions

Exploring immersive experiences

During the last week of March the Piper Arts Centre was transformed into an immersive experience for all young people to explore and perform the skills that they have been learning and developing across the term. This performance experience created opportunities for play and creativity from both staff and young people, exploring costumes, props and multi-sensory materials.

Elise added: “Our aim for this performance was to set up a close to real life installation style performance in the Piper Arts Centre where the young people come in, there's projections of their work all across the wall and they've got all of their props and everything around and they're just free to explore the environment as they wish.

“So although we called it performance, it was more seeing how they've responded to the work that we've been doing across the last sort of 10 weeks. We could see what do they gravitate towards in the room, what's really resonated with them, what area of the sensory play, what area of the just the normal play they're sort of drawn to, which will also help us shape our planning in the future.”

Patricia's thoughts

I am delighted to see the kids at Prior’s Court absorbing and responding to the nuances of Gene’s iconic choreography in “Singin’ in the Rain.” Gene used movement to tell stories, and the participants clearly grasped the sense of joy that Gene wished to convey. I had a feeling they would. I’ve heard from many parents of children with autism that their kids are glued to Gene’s numbers and often watch them on repeat thousands of times. I am proud of everyone at Prior’s Court for their willingness to test the idea of connecting young people with complex needs to Gene and his work. I hope it will lead to more opportunities and exploration. It is a gift for Gene’s Legacy. 

Patricia Ward Kelly

About the arts centre 

The Piper Arts Centre, which opened in June 2025, includes adapted facilities to reduce barriers autistic young people may face in accessing the arts such as sensitivities to light, noise, and social expectations. The centre mirrors professional theatre environments, providing a safe and familiar space for young people to build their confidence and skills, with the ultimate aim of supporting them to access arts venues in the wider community.

Beyond its day-to-day use, Prior’s Court has ambitious plans for the Piper Arts Centre. The charity aims to use the facility to explore and share best practice in supporting access to the arts for autistic individuals with complex needs. This research will be shared across the education and performing arts sectors to improve accessibility and inclusion on a wider scale.

As part of the centre’s programme, external theatre and performance groups will be invited to perform at Prior’s Court, helping to create enriching experiences and memorable moments for the young people and their families.

Read more success stories from the centre on our dedicated blog