THOUSAND OAKS : Cost to Reserve Stage at Arts Plaza Reduced

Encouraging community groups to use the Civic Arts Plaza, the Thousand Oaks theater commission has reduced upfront costs for low-budget organizations seeking to rent stage space.

From student dancers to classical pianists to vaudeville actors, performers wishing to stage productions in the 400-seat Forum Theater will now be allowed to reserve show dates with a small down payment, instead of forking over the entire rent in advance.

Rent for nonprofit groups costs $400 per performance, and profit-making ventures must pay $800 per show. It will cost $200 a day to rehearse in the Forum Theater.

The old contract called for performers to pay, in full, rental charges and estimated stage crew fees before the first show.

The revisions allow groups to reserve the stage with a down payment of $200 for an individual performance and $100 per show for a run of several nights.

“If they book a year in advance, asking them to pay the full rent might mean that one of their members has to pay from his own pocket,” theater Director Tom Mitze said, noting that most groups depend on ticket sales to cover expenses.

To further ease the financial burden on local groups, commissioners agreed to allow some troupes to staff the theater with qualified volunteers, instead of paying for the Civic Arts Plaza’s stage crew.

Theater commissioners also unanimously agreed to consider allowing rap and heavy metal concerts on a case-by-case basis. The concert promoters would have to pay for any extra security deemed necessary.