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Franklin’s Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts has been thriving in its location for some 20 years, but the historic old movie theater now adapted to stage plays needs repairs.
Ed “Tiger” Verdin, board member, told the St. Mary Parish Council Wednesday that the theatre is submitting a pre-application funding request to the council.
“We pretty much have relied on ticket sales for our funding,” Verdin said. “Our summer musicals are our most expensive shows, where we really promote children, we have a lot of children from Lafayette and Morgan City in our shows. Sets are minimalist as possible. Rights and royalties are what hit us. You’re paying for not only the play but the music, and that can cost us anywhere from $3,500 to $6,000, right off. Then we look at costuming, at set…we try not to charge the children any money, where as other groups charge them to be part of an arts group. The summer musical can cost up to $15,000 for a very big show.”
Other productions throughout the year can cost up to $5,000, Verdin said. Ticket prices are $10 for all shows.
The theatre also holds events such as Chamber of Commerce functions, political forums, pageants and more.
“We’re not looking for a handout, but we’re asking for help,” Verdin said. “I’m proud of the kids that come through that door. We mentor a lot of kids. People bring their kids to work with us, we don’t charge them for teaching them life skills, creativity. Not everybody’s an athlete.”
The theatre can now seat 300 persons, which is the threshold for a regional or Broadway show troupe to venue. Completion of renovations to the balcony raised that seating from 200. “I know the budget’s tight,” he said. “But whatever you guys can muster up.”
Board member Diane Wiltz said Franklin does not have a civic center. “We have a one-of-a-kind showplace,” she said of the theatre. “No other municipality in our parish has the luxury of what we have. When visitors come to see our show they marvel at that building and how we have restored it.”
She said that maintenance of the building is the root of the funding request. “Not about funding us as an arts program, but helping us with the maintenance of it.”
Conversations on maintenance have begun with the City of Franklin as well, Wiltz said.
“We’re having a lot of issues over there,” she said. “We need that type of financial support to help us keep this one-of-a-kind building going.”
The request was forwarded to the finance committee for consideration in the next parish budget.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Mark Hebert reported the following arrests:
Joseph Scott, 41, of 5659 Highway 77, Chiply, Fla. was arrested Tuesday at 9:21 p.m. on a Dickson County, Tenn. warrant for the charge of abuse of corpse.
Detectives of the St. Mary Sheriff’s Office Narcotics and Marine Sections assisted US Customs and Border Patrol agents in boarding a vessel in the Atchafalaya River to apprehend Scott, a wanted fugitive from Tennessee. Scott was taken into custody without incident and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking and extradition.
Chares Nerve, 35, of 829 Louise St., New Iberia, was arrested Tuesday at 3:13 a.m. on charges of speeding and operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license.
A deputy traveling on US 90 in Bayou Vista observed a vehicle moving at 60 miles per hour in a posted 45 miles per hour zone. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and found that the driver, Nerve, was operating the vehicle with a suspended license. Nerve was released on a summons.
Ted Borne, 55, of 410 La. 317, Centerville, was arrested Tuesday at 5:39 a.m. on charges of no motor vehicle insurance, careless operation of a motor vehicle and no driver’s license.
A deputy responded to a call for service regarding a vehicle in a ditch on La. 182 in Baldwin. The deputy spoke with the driver, Borne, and found that he was driving without a license or insurance. Borne was released on a summons.
Kelvin Matthews, 26, of 306 Tallowood St., Franklin, was arrested Wednesday at 11:54 p.m. on charges of speeding, possession of Schedule I marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal carrying of a weapon.
A deputy patrolling Baldwin observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on Martin Luther King Road and conducted a traffic stop. While speaking with the driver, Matthews, the deputy smelled the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. During the investigation, the deputy located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a pair of brass knuckles. Matthews was transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Bail is set at $3,750.
Rachel Killingsworth, 24, of 500 Wise St., Patterson, was arrested Tuesday at 10:45 a.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of possession of marijuana, careless operation of a motor vehicle and operating a vehicle without a driver’s license. During booking at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, a correctional deputy located the active warrant for Killingsworth’s arrest. Bail is set at $750.
Emily Rodriguez, 32, of 398 Lake Long Road, Houma, was arrested Tuesday at 11:04 a.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of operating a vehicle with a suspended driver’s license and speeding.
A deputy assigned to the warrants section located Rodriguez at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse in Franklin and transported her to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Devontre Jones, 22, of 1341 Martin Luther King Road, Charenton, was arrested Thursday at 2:07 a.m. on charges of turning movements, required signals violation and no motor vehicle insurance.
A deputy observed a vehicle fail to use a turn signal when entering onto La. 182 in Baldwin, and conducted a traffic stop. The deputy found that the driver, Jones, was operating the vehicle without insurance. Jones was released on a summons.
Ryan Hargrave, 43, of 601 East Santa Clara St., New Iberia, was arrested Thursday at 5:32 a.m. on charges of possession of Schedule II methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A deputy observed a vehicle stopped on the side of the roadway with its hazard lights on and stopped to assist. While speaking with the occupants, the deputy developed information that illegal drugs were in the vehicle. The deputy located methamphetamine and a pipe used to consume the illegal substance inside the vehicle and found evidence that the items belonged to Hargrave. The deputy transported Hargrave to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set.
Larry Robertson Jr., 24, of 109 Edward Lane, Four Corners, was arrested Wednesday at 6:23 p.m. on charges of following too closely, failure to signal 100 feet prior to an intersection, obstruction of justice, resisting an officer and possession of Schedule I marijuana.
Jacoby Westley, 29, of 3109 Collins Road, Jeanerette, was arrested Wednesday at 6:23 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule I marijuana and obstruction of justice.
Oquinn Lockett, 30, of 1123 La. 318, Jeanerette, was arrested Wednesday at 6:23 p.m. on charges of possession of Schedule II crack cocaine, possession of Schedule II methamphetamine, obstruction of justice and resisting an officer.
Narcotics detectives observed a vehicle following another vehicle too closely on La. 318 in Four Corners. Detectives also observed the vehicle fail to properly signal a turn onto Jones Road 1 and initiated a traffic stop. The vehicle failed to pull over continuing to travel for several hundred feet at a slow rate of speed. When the vehicle stopped, detectives made contact with the three occupants and observed that they were attempting to eat illegal drugs. Detectives also smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The occupants, Robertson, Westley, and Lockett were detained. Detectives recovered three bags of marijuana from Robertson’s mouth, one bag of marijuana from Westley’s mouth, and pieces of crack cocaine in Lockett’s mouth. Detectives also found a bag of methamphetamine on Lockett. All three subjects were transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. No bail is set for Robertson or Lockett. Bail is set at $4,750 for Westley.
Bryce Coleman, 18, of 832 Bank Avenue, New Iberia, was arrested Wednesday at 7:27 p.m. for possession of Schedule I marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Detectives patrolling the Franklin area observed several subjects standing outside a residence on Caffery Street and stopped to speak with them. Detectives observed Coleman attempt to conceal a bag of marijuana. Coleman was detained. The marijuana was recovered. Detectives also located a pack of cigars in Coleman’s pocket. Coleman was released on a summons.
Franklin Police Chief Sabria McGuire reported the following arrest:
Anson Paul, 40, of Liner Street, Franklin, was arrested Wednesday at 3:48 p.m. on charges of driving under suspension and no child restraints. Paul was booked, processed, and held on a $1,250 bond.

BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Book Festival will feature chefs, cookbook authors, foodways and music historians and scholars, musicians, and more on Saturday during the free, daylong festival to be held throughout Capitol Park in downtown Baton Rouge.
MasterChef season 7 winner Shaun O’Neale, who was selected on the hit FOX show as the champion home cook by chefs Gordon Ramsay, Christina Tosi and New Orleans’ own Aaron Sanchez, will give a cooking demonstration featuring recipes from his debut cookbook, “My Modern American Table: Recipes for Inspired Home Cooks.”
O’Neale’s appearance is made possible in part by Karl Breaux, who will give a cooking demonstration earlier in the day, featuring his famous Cajun recipes. Also featured in the Cooking Demonstration Tent will be dietitian Shelly Marie Redmond with her cookbook, “Skinny Louisiana ... in the Kitchen.”
The Fonville Winans Cookbook: “Recipes and Photographs from a Louisiana Artist,” will be featured at a cooking demonstration presented by Cynthia Lejeune Nobles and Melinda Winans, Fonville’s daughter-in-law. South-ern foodways will be the main course in Wendy Atkins-Sayre’s discussion of her book, “Consuming Identity: The Role of Food in Redefining the South.”
Musical highlights include an appearance by punk rock icon and co-founding member of Black Flag, Keith Morris, who will be discussing his memoir, “My Damage: The Story of a Punk Rock Survivor.” Alyn Ship-ton, BBC radio producer and author, will be presenting two programs, the first with Gwen Thompkins, host of national public radio’s Music Inside Out, during which they will discuss their contributions to Danny Barker’s “A Life in Jazz.”
Later in the afternoon, Shipton will discuss his definitive Harry Nilsson biography, “Nilsson: The Life of a Singer-Songwriter.” British writer and blues guitarist Julian C. Piper, who spent a year abroad at LSU studying and played blues at the Blues Box in Baton Rouge, will present his book, “Blues from the Bayou: The Rhythms of Baton Rouge.” Jack Sullivan examines musicians’ perpetual renewal in New Orleans Remix, and “may we introduce to you” noted Beatles historian Bruce Spizer with “The Beatles and Sgt. Pepper: A Fan’s Perspective, 50 Years On.”
All cooking demonstrations, book discussions, and panel presentations will be followed by book signings in the Barnes and Noble book signing tent, where attendees will have the opportunity to meet featured presenters and have their books signed and personalized.
The Louisiana Book Festival will also feature musical performances in a variety of genres ranging from funk to folk, blues to zydeco, on the Entertainment Stage from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., including performances by DUBYA, Nathan & The Zydeco Cha-Chas, Henry Gray, Monday-NightSocial, Beth Hazel, and The Bills.
For a full list of presenters, programs, times and locations, visit www.louisianabookfestival.org.