The Farr Best Theater, home of the Main Street Theatre acting group, came under new ownership September 9.  Businessman Charles Morales, and his wife, Judith Evans, bought the building for an undisclosed price.

For the next five years the couple will be landlords for the Main Street Theatre, allowing the nonprofit theater group to use the building rent-free for all of its performances. Also, Morales plans to repair and eventually restore the 87-year-old Farr Theater in downtown Mansfield. "We are now shouldering the costs of the repairs that they couldn't afford," Evans said.

This is not the first historic building that the Mansfield couple has tackled. Two years ago, Morales purchased the historic J.H. Harrison house at 404 E. Broad St. from the city. Morales is in the process of restoring the 89-year-old building that formerly housed the senior citizen center.

The couple's theater purchase appears to be the perfect fit for the Main Street Theatre. Co-founder/president Tim Eaton said the theater group has come under hard times in recent years and that it was spending 40 percent of the theatre budget on the building's mortgage. The theater group had been looking for someone who would buy the building - but only under  strict circumstances. Whoever purchased the building had to keep the same historical name, keep the donor nameplates on the chairs and still allow Main Street Theatre to perform there.

"We didn't ever think we'd find someone like that," he said. But they did. "( Morales ) genuinely cares about Mansfield," Eaton said. "He wants to make sure this theater stays here. You won't notice the differences, but it will be kept up better."

Eaton said Morales is a humble man who doesn't want to be haled as a hero for saving the historic theater. Rather he wants people to enjoy the plays.  The theater group will be able to produce higher-quality performances because they no longer have to use funds for the mortgage or full-coverage insurance., Eaton said.

Another perk of the new ownership, Morales will be paying for the rental of 1 1,000-square-foot storage unit, where the theater group can store its props, costumes and equipment. The extra space would also get rid of the clutter inside and outside the theater, Evans said. This would also free up space so other theater groups can use the building year-round. "We want the theater in Mansfield to thrive," Evans said.

• article from the Mansfield-News Mirror. Written by Nicholas Sakelaris.
  Published Monday, September 6, 2004.