The John Anson Ford Theatres

The John Anson Ford Theatres, nestled in the Hollywood Hills, are owned and operated by the County of Los Angeles and located in a county regional park.

The 1241-seat outdoor Ford Amphitheatre is set against a backdrop of cypresses and chaparral. It is relatively intimate: no patron is more than 96 feet away from the stage. Music, dance, film, theatre and family events are presented May to October. The Ford Amphitheatre Season is a program of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.

The 87-seat indoor theatre space, [INSIDE] THE FORD is the home of the Ensemble Theatre Collective, known as ETC@ITF, a collaboration of five L.A.-based theatre companies and the Arts Commission supported in part by the Flintridge Foundation.

The Ford Theatre Foundation is a private fundraising organization created to enhance Los Angeles County's support of the theatres.

In 2000, a $1.6 million renovation of the entryway to the theatres was undertaken. The new entryway features winding paths that create a more gradual climb from the box office, a waterfall, two dozen species of trees and plants and pocket picnic areas. At the top of the entryway is Edison Plaza, a gathering place where patrons can eat, shop and pick up information.

The entryway is the most recent of more than $4.3 million in capital improvements made to the stage, backstage, and public areas of the Ford complex since 1995. One of the goals of these renovations was to make the facility completely ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. These capital investments by the County of Los Angeles continue to bring the historic site up to modern safety, access and performance standards for the enjoyment of all.

Following a massive rainstorm and landslide in January 2005, the outdoor stage was resurfaced and the wooden stage of [INSIDE] THE FORD was replaced by a flexible modular steel structure capable of withstanding future floods. Planned renovation of the middle-level bar area was also completed in 2005; a new color scheme, lighting, ceiling fans and furnishings, as well as installation of an exhibit on the history of the Ford, has made this space more welcoming and convenient for patrons.