History of the Teche Theatre       



Construction began in 1939 and was completed in the spring of 1940. Owned by the Lauve-Bodin Amusement Company, the Teche opened its doors on Easter Weekend, March 29th. At the time the Teche was the most luxurious theatre in South Louisiana. Having spared no expense in equipment, the air conditioning system was one of the very latest types developed and which employed gas as fuel for operation. The sound system was one of the best, if not the very best obtainable, the famous R.C.A. High Fidelity sound system. The film projectors were Simplex, long an outstanding name in motion picture theater equipment.

Plans for the Teche Theatre were executed by the firm of Favrot & Reed, with Fred Nehrbass, associate architect. W. J. Quick & Hudson East of Lake Charles, La. contracted to build the theater. The St. Mary Iron Works of Franklin furnished the steel necessary in the construction of the building.

Built entirely along modernistic designs of its day, the Teche Theatre presented a very attractive picture. The front part of the theater was finished in structural glass in blocks of black, tan and red, which colors blend into perfect harmony with the lighted marquee and entire front.

The floor of the front entrance was finished in a very attractive pattern of terrazzo. The seating capacity at the time was eight hundred which included the balcony and orchestra floor.

The first feature to run on the giant screen was:

"Charlie Chan in Panama" It opened on Saturday, March 30, 1940

Easter Sunday, March 31st and Monday, April 1st

"Another Thin Man" starring William Powell and Myrna Loy

Tuesday, April 2nd

"Jamaica Inn" with Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara

Wednesday, April 3rd and 4th

"The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" starring Bette Davis, Errol Flynn & Olivia de Havilland

"Gone With The Wind" made it Franklin premier on April 7th, 8th 9th and 10th.

Over the years the Teche Theatre began to see lean years. With the invention of television, attendance dropped. By the late sixties the theater was in need of repair. Lauve -Bodin decided to lease the theater to someone who would give the building a new life.

In 1968, Mr. Aubrey Lasseigne took a twenty year lease and did major renovations. The theater was brought back to life. The Auditorium walls were draped to absorb some of the sound, the seating was replaced with overstuffed rocking chairs, the projection room was automated and a new sound system was installed. The Teche was once again a nice entertainment spot. But again, with the invention of the multiplex cinemas in neighboring towns, attendance once again dropped and the Teche finally closed its doors in the mid eighties.

In the mid 90, after being closed for several years, the city of Franklin purchased the building from Lauve-Bodin for 40,000.00 and leased the building to the 'Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts' an organization with a dream of restoring the Teche to its former glory.

On Friday, August 2nd, 2002, the Teche reopened its doors. A special black tie Gala event was held. Our first dinner theater was a huge success. On Saturday, August 3rd, 2002, the Grand Opening Event was held. Both nights were sell outs.

The first touring company to play the Teche was John McConnell as "Earl Long In Purgatory", this one man show was excellent and all three performances were sell outs.

 

Hurricane Lily

In October of 2002 Hurricane Lily made a direct hit on the St. Mary Parish area and Franklin.   The theatre received major damage to the roof and interior. The theater once again closed for major repair.

Reopening  September 2003

After many months of determined effort, the theatre was again reopened.  On the weekend of August 8th 2003, the Teche celebrated with its second Annual Gala. Performances were held on Friday, August 8th, Saturday the 9th and Sunday the 10th  with its first "Dessert Matinee."  

In September of 2003, the Teche began "Classics of the Silver Screen."  One weekend a month, a classic movie from Hollywood's past is shown on the giant screen at the Teche.  The first feature in this series was "The Philadelphia Story" starring Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart in his Academy Award winning role.  A 3 Stooges short preceded the movie.

In October Gregory Peck starred in "To Kill A Mockingbird" followed by Bob Hope and Lucille Ball in "Fancy Pants."  The Teche finished out its vintage film series for 2003 with Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera Ellen in Irving Berlin's "White Christmas."

The first in house production to be held  on the stage was Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" starring John Braud, Edward Verdun, and Diane Wiltz.  In house rehearsals began in September with performance dates of December 5th, 6th, and 7th.  Two nights of dinner theater, one afternoon dessert matinee and one night of general seating were all sell outs.

January 2004

In January of 2004, Mr. Jeff Minor (president), and Mr. John Braud (vice-president) of the Teche Theatre Board of Directors, both received the "Virginia Tyler Guillotte Award," presented by the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, for their outstanding achievement in restoring the Teche Theatre to its present day glory.  The Teche Board envisioned a two year renovation plan that turned into a decade long project.