Taper, Too’s Slippery Slope

For the disabled, one of the most inaccessible theaters in town is the Taper, Too--the Mark Taper Forum’s small second space in the basement of the county-owned John Anson Ford Theatre in Hollywood.

Theatergoers must climb a sharp slope to get to the entrance. Cars can travel to the theater, but the steps leading down to the space are too steep for normal wheelchair ramps.

Prompted by complaints, the county is investigating how to improve access before 1994, when the building must meet federal accessibility requirements. Roy Conli, the Taper’s manager of special projects, said an outdoor electronic lift would do the job--probably at a cost of about $250,000.

Pat Moore, supervisor of operations at the Ford, said that a conventional elevator would cost at least twice as much as the lift. If the proposal moves on course through county channels, he hopes the lift will be completed by next summer.