Arts Plaza Will Allow Rap Bands : Thousand Oaks: Fans’ appeals persuade commissioners not to ban all forms of heavy metal and loud music.

Thousand Oaks’ new auditorium--designed as an elegant concert hall--will host some rappers and heavy-metal bands, the city’s theater commissioners decided Wednesday after appeals from several young fans.

Wary of the rowdy crowds that such concerts might draw, the panel’s programming committee had recommended banning ear-splitting heavy metal or dance-party rap from the plush 1,800-seat auditorium.

With its state-of-the-art acoustics, designed by a laser system that calculates how sound waves bounce off walls, the auditorium “is conducive to really high artistic standards,” Executive Director Tom Mitze said before the meeting.

But after hearing pleas from fans of trendy ‘90s music, the commissioners changed their minds and said they would evaluate each band on a case-by-case basis.

“As a child of the ‘60s, I have absolutely no interest in banning any classification of music,” said Commissioner Larry Janss, who had earlier supported excluding rap and hard-rock artists.

Several commissioners and concert-goers pointed out that modern bands often blend elements of rap with traditional rock ‘n’ roll sounds. They described the auditorium as a public building that should book acts for audiences of all ages.

“As a taxpayer, a law-abiding citizen and a contributing member of society, I should have the same rights to enjoy the Civic Arts Plaza as people who like the symphony or ballet,” said rock ‘n’ roll fan Grahame Watts. “Banning any music is an insult to people young and old. I’m concerned about providing diversity for all ages as opposed to just catering to politically correct Plaza supporters.”

While focusing on future programming issues, the theater commissioners took time out briefly Wednesday night to celebrate the inking of a contract with actress and singer Bernadette Peters, who will perform two shows for the Civic Arts Plaza’s grand opening next October.

The Thousand Oaks City Council on Tuesday approved the $60,000 contract and endorsed a host of other plans for the grand opening celebration, which coincides with the city’s 30th anniversary.

Even as they made plans for a star-studded, three-day grand opening, however, council members heard a disabled woman and her husband announce plans to stage a protest during the festivities.

For months, Phyllis and John Ellis have complained that the Civic Arts Plaza’s design discriminates against wheelchair-bound visitors, because of sloping floors, inadequate chairlifts and other issues. They have also protested because disabled residents cannot take tours of the construction site, which is inaccessible for wheelchairs and walkers.

“You don’t realize how bad it is out there until you get in one of these critters,” Phyllis Ellis said, gesturing toward her motorized wheelchair.

City officials and two outside consultants defended the design of the Civic Arts Plaza, saying it fully met--and often exceeded--federal guidelines outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Theater-goers in wheelchairs have a choice of seats sprinkled throughout the auditorium, every restroom has stalls designed for disabled people, and every workplace from the orchestra pit to the lighting controls is accessible, said Barry Branagan, the city’s building and safety director.

“They’ve thought of everything and have been very innovative,” said Mike Taylor, the chairman of the city’s Disabled Access Appeals Board, who uses a wheelchair himself.

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Of the Ellises’ claim, consultant Mike Gibbens said: “It’s total fiction.”

But John and Phyllis Ellis repeatedly warned the council Tuesday that they had submitted complaints to the Justice Department calling for a federal investigation.

And John Ellis asked the city to notify guest artist Peters that “anything that happens outside the theater during the grand opening is not directed at her . . .. It’s specifically directed at local bigots.”

While he declined to discuss their plans in detail, John Ellis said they might hold signs claiming discrimination against disabled residents during the black-tie party or other grand-opening events.