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The U.S. Senate approved the Save the Liberty Theatre Act Thursday afternoon, a major step forward for the activists working to restore and reopen the historic Eunice venue.

The bill, which would grant full ownership of the Liberty to the city of Eunice, passed by a wide margin in the House of Representatives two weeks ago. The Senate unanimously consented to pass the bill Thursday.

The National Park Service owns a newer portion of the Liberty Theatre that was constructed in the 1980s to provide an accessible entrance for the venue. That partial ownership, however, has hindered restorations efforts led by activists in Acadiana.

U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Bossier City, and Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, sponsored companion bills for the Liberty Theatre restoration project during the 2021-2022 legislative session. 

“The Liberty Theatre is a historic part of Eunice’s culture," Kennedy said in a statement. "The Save the Liberty Theatre Act will cut through bureaucratic hurdles so that Eunice can restore this century-old part of their community. It was a pleasure to work with Congressman Johnson to preserve this jewel of Acadiana."

The legislation requires the National Park Service to transfer ownership of its stake in the Liberty Theatre to the city of Eunice. With Senate and House approval, the bill awaits a signature from President Joe Biden.

“With a proper restoration, this special landmark will be enjoyed for generations to come," Johnson said. "I commend Senator John Kennedy for so capably guiding this bill through the Senate and we look forward to President Biden’s signature."

Cajun musician Joel Savoy has led restoration efforts of the Liberty in his hometown of Eunice. The theater's stage has been dark since October 2019, and activists have feared the centerpiece of the Cajun prairie community would become nothing more than a haunting reminder of what once was without action.

"It's very special to me because it's my hometown theater, and my family is so connected to it," Savoy said in a 2020 interview. "But the other day, I walked into The Liberty, and all the lights were off in the actual theater, and I just looked around and thought about how majestic it feels for a small town to have such a gorgeous room. It's the jewel of the prairie. It needs to be restored to its former glory."

Savoy, along with a handful of other Eunice residents, formed the Association for the Liberty Theatre in 2020. They're spent the pandemic working through the logistics — attempting to obtain construction and maintenance rights to the building and determining exactly what work needs to be done and how much it will cost — and are planning to launch a fundraising campaign and public planning project.

Celeste Gomez, a Eunice native, served as the tourism director for St. Landry Parish before her retirement. Now, she's actively working to restore the theatre as a member of the association.

"I just knew the importance of the Liberty," Gomez said. "I live right down the street, and I just know what a big economic driver it can be and has been. I just wanted to give back in some way by being part of this."

The association has applied for and received grants from the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, Louisiana Main Street's division of historic preservation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The city of Eunice and St. Landry Parish government have earmarked a substantial amount of funds from the American Rescue Plan Act for the theater's restoration.

The association has also received a "generous" donation from a private donor.

"That being said, we've got a long way to go and we will be counting on supporters from around the world to help bring the Liberty back to life," Savoy said this week. "We are currently about to move forward with plans to rebuild the fire suppression system and perform repairs and maintenance on the exterior of the building. With a non-functioning HVAC system, we are trying to keep mold inside the theatre at bay while we finalize renovation plans with the architects."

This isn't the first time The Liberty Theatre has gone dark.

Savoy's parents, a Cajun musician and a music producer, were actually the driving force behind a restoration project in the 1980s to reopen the ornate building. The theater had been shuttered for more than 20 years at that time because television and movie theaters had become the go-to entertainment over live plays and performances.

When the theater reopened in the 1980s, it became a cultural destination for locals and tourists alike, especially on Saturday evenings for Rendez-vous des Cajuns, a live radio show in Prairie Home Companion format.

The activists are hoping to renovate and reopen the theater by 2024 to commemorate its 100th anniversary.