the historic st. john theatre

Maurin’s Theatre was opened in 1931 and served the River Parishes as a showplace where the community could gather and enjoy the latest movies. Upon its opening, advertisements touted that movies would be shown with “Wonderful RCA Sound.” In 1937 air conditioning was installed into the building making it the first movie house between Baton Rouge and New Orleans to offer the luxury to its patrons. 
Many people who grew up in Reserve and the surrounding area have fond memories of the Theatre.
On May 27, 1979, Godzilla vs. Megalon became the last movie shown in Maurin’s Theatre.

In 1974 a proposal was made by a group of interested citizens to the Police Jury (later to be known as the Parish Council) that St. John the Baptist Parish was in need of a cultural center.

By 1975 that group had joined with the Bicentennial Committee and had begun a public campaign seeking endorsements to convince the public of the need. By 1976 an official feasibility study had concluded that the parish did indeed need a cultural center. A referendum was put on the ballot for September 1978, but the center lost by 21 votes. The group members felt that with harder campaigning, the January 19, 1980, bond election could be won, but in the end the proposal was soundly defeated.

Disappointed but not discouraged, the Cultural Center Committee went before the Parish Council to seek help in obtaining the Maurian Theater (built in 1931), which the Louis J. Maurin family closed and offered for sale. By a unanimous vote, the Council voted to provide funds for the purchase of the building, the land, and initial renovation costs. The facility was leased to the Cultural Committee on May 22, 1980.

Renovations began immediately, and St. John Theatre opened in July 1981 with the staging of the musical “South Pacific.” On July 7, 1982 the Parish Council designated the live-theatre facility as “the cultural and Civic Center of St. John the Baptist Parish.”

When funds ran out, the board members, many of whom were Reserve Lions Club members, signed band loan papers, and the renovation we completed. Today the parish-owned facility is debit free, generating its own revenues.

Dr. Jack Harvey was the first President of the Board, and Jack S. Snowdy was named Managing Director. Other presidents over the years have included Malcom Donaldson, Lucien Cambre, Greer Millet, Mike Brooks, & Ralph Romugera. The current Board President is Sterling Snowdy. Currently Robert Beadle is the longest sitting member of the Board of Directors, having been on the board since its inception.

Since its beginning, the MISSION of St. John Theatre has been to offer each child and adult of the community the opportunity to participate in, or be a spectator of, a series of fine arts activities offered during the year. It is a “Family Safe” center, and it does not schedule performances which do not respect the dignity of others.