Acadia Players dedicate new library to Elaine Wright

BY SAJA HOFFPAUIR

LIFESTYLES EDITOR

The Acadia Parish Center for the Arts and Culture saw a packed house on the night of Friday, April 25, as the Acadia Players hosted a fundraiser featuring magic by Barry Primo and dedicated the center’s new library to long-time supporter Elaine Wright.

Wright is well known in the local acting world, having been involved in the formation of the Acadia Arts Council, the predecessor to the Acadia Players, back in 1979. She has starred and acted in so many plays that they are too numerous to count, including productions by other local theater companies.

According to Jimmy Broussard, president of the Acadia Players board of directors, Wright has also directed and co-directed a number of plays, as well as served as a mentor to the young people in the Acadia Players. Broussard calls her “the seat of wisdom” to all of them. Additionally, Broussard says that they could not begin to place a figure on the monetary and in-kind donations she has made to the group.

Wright has performed in, among other productions, “The Incorruptibles,” “Daddy’s Dyin’: Who’s Got the Will” and “Driving Miss Daisy,” in which she started as, of course, Miss Daisy. Her most recent role was in “Southern Hospitality,” and now she plans to hang up her acting hat.

Accordingly, it was only fitting that the Acadia Players would find some way to honor Wright, and they did it by naming their new “Library of Arts and Culture,” part of the ever-growing Center, in her honor.

The honor was a surprise for Wright, who thought she was there for a fundraiser, only to discover that she was to cut the ribbon on the new library.

The library is filled with a broad variety of fine arts books and other materials, many of which were donated by Wright.