Driving down L.A.’s Sepulveda Boulevard during the day, it’s easy to overlook the warehouse-like building that houses the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.  But at night, when the giant, electric blue letters ‘ODYSSEY’ are illuminated, the venue becomes traffic-stoppingly impossible to miss.

Judging by the building’s industrial, ultra-modern look, the Odyssey looks more like an exclusive gallery (think Bergamot Station) than the home of one of L.A.’s longest-running small theater groups.  But while the Odyssey is no stranger to the avant garde, it also has decades of history –and serious street cred– behind it.  The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble was founded in 1969 with the goal of bringing experimental theater to a broader audience.  The group quickly earned a reputation for producing high-quality, boundary-pushing work, and its early productions were wildly successful– particularly considering that they were produced in a tiny, storefront performance space.

Today’s Odyssey features three 99-seat theaters, with usually at least two performances running concurrently on a given night.  The programming is highly eclectic, often showcasing international work, and though state-of-the-art, the venue itself has an intimate and unassuming vibe that wouldn’t be out of place in NYC’s off-Broadway scene.  This season’s highlights include Noel Coward’s “A Song at Twilight,” UK mega-hit “An Oak Tree,” and the 2009 Polish International Theatre Festival award-winner, “Dual Citizens.”

Despite its lengthy history and international , the theater is still a relatively well-kept L.A. secret, save among hardcore theater buffs.  But if the average Angeleno remains unaware of what’s behind the glowing blue sign, it’s his loss, not the Odyssey’s.