Cygnet Theatre & Arts District Liberty Station Complete Joan And Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center

Arts District Liberty Station and Cygnet Theatre has unveiled The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center (The Joan) - a transformative $43.5M project reimagining a historic Navy building into San Diego's newest world-class performance space.

Named in honor of the late Joan Jacobs, a beloved patron of the arts and lead project donor, The Joan will serve as San Diego's third largest theatre company, Cygnet Theatre's new permanent home and the only freestanding live performance space at Arts District Liberty Station. Cygnet Theatre kicks off its inaugural season in the new space on September 10, ushering in an exciting next chapter for the company. Beyond Cygnet's exceptional productions, The Joan will welcome other arts organizations to use the space - cementing its role as a dynamic cultural hub for the city.

"The completion and opening of The Joan marks a transformative moment - not just for Cygnet, but for the arts landscape of our city," said Sean Murray, Cygnet Theatre Artistic Director. "This state-of-the-art venue gives us the opportunity to dream bigger and create bolder. It's been an honor to partner with Arts District Liberty Station in bringing The Joan to life while preserving San Diego's rich historic fabric."

The Joan features two state-of-the-art performance spaces: the 280+ seat proscenium-style Joseph Clayes III Theater (The Clayes) and the 150-seat Dorothea Laub Studio Theater (The Dottie). Both spaces feature flexible seating configurations, allowing for a wide range of productions and creative staging.

Designed with artists and audiences in mind, The Joan also offers premier back-of-house amenities including two green rooms, spacious dressing rooms, a full costume shop, dedicated rehearsal space, top-of-the-line acoustic elements and more. Guests can also enjoy two bespoke indoor lobbies and refreshment areas - one lobby serving as an art gallery - plus an inviting outdoor lobby space, industry-leading ADA accessibility and a premier location at Liberty Station steps from some of San Diego's top dining, retail and cultural attractions.

2026). Productions in The Dottie Studio Theater include: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Oct. 8 - Nov. 9, 2025), Cygnet's a Magical Holiday: Christmas at The Joan (Dec. 10 - Dec. 28, 2025) and The Lehman Trilogy (Begins March 25, 2026).

In addition to Cygnet's inspiring productions, The Joan will also provide opportunities for other arts organizations to perform in the space, connecting and engaging even more audiences. Beyond Cygnet, guests can look forward to performances by Malashock Dance (April 27 - May 3, 2026), San Diego Women's Chorus (July 25-26, 2026), Write Out Loud (dates vary) and more. Cygnet Theatre and Arts District Liberty Station hope The Joan will bring over 50,000 guests annually to enjoy the best of San Diego's arts scene, as well as all the location has to offer.

Beyond enriching the city's cultural landscape with a historic, world-class performance space, Cygnet Theatre and Arts District Liberty Station plan to leverage the space to enhance and grow their community outreach initiatives - including creating jobs and training programs for college students and emerging artists, as well as partnering with more under-resourced communities like military members and students throughout the region to increase engagement in the arts.

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