Get a seat for the Ford’s “The Mercy Seat”

The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre is one of the county’s best-kept secrets: a miniature outdoor venue that’s a charming cousin to the much larger Hollywood Bowl, located across the Hollywood Freeway.

But down below its main floor, the Ford reveals another secret: an intimate interior performing space for experimental productions. And there, as part of the

[Inside] the Ford New Play Series, you’ll find the Vs. Theatre Company’s presentation of playwright Neil LaBute’s “The Mercy Seat,” now running through April 24, 2011 in its Los Angeles premiere.

Described as “a caustically funny examination of opportunism in the wake of tragedy,” LaBute’s play offers a post-modern twist on a classic theme: what if a sudden calamity offered you a chance to step into a new life? Would you take it?

Performances run Wednesday-Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m. plus a Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m. Buy your tickets online here. And here are the driving directions.

Posted 3/31/11