Entertainment in Thousand Oaks

* Re “Plaza Hopes to Subsidize Big-Name Act,” Oct. 3.

I was astounded to read that the Alliance for the Arts was considering the reallocation of funds from local theater and musical groups to subsidize big-name acts such as Ricky Martin and ‘N Sync.

The maximum seating for the Fred Kavli Theater is only 1,800 and these “big acts” usually bring in $500,000 to $1 million. You do the math.

This seems to me to be both fiscally absurd and patently unfair to local groups that work very hard to keep their organizations solvent.

The $50,000 to $100,000 they are planning to use would be a small portion of the ticket prices that would still be hundreds of dollars.

This divergence of funds could be the death knell for the small groups trying valiantly to bring some semblance of culture to Thousand Oaks.

Approaching corporate and private sponsors for additional funds could completely dry up local support to these groups. I hope Chairperson Carole Nussbaum will reconsider this proposal. I don’t want this money to go to subsidize affluent teenagers when it could be used where it is most needed. We simply cannot compete with Los Angeles in this venue and neither should we try.

FRANCIS C. WHITE

CHERYL WHITE

Newbury Park

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Re “Playing Second Fiddle: Local Musicians Protest Use of Machine in Stage Shows’ Orchestra,” Oct. 5.

It is a shame that the good people of Thousand Oaks, starved for quality musical attractions, are offered such mediocre performances. I long ago failed to renew my subscription to these traveling travesties and have attended the far more spirited and creative presentations given by local people at the Scherr Forum Theater. Incidentally, those performances use live musicians.

ARTHUR HOBERMAN

Thousand Oaks