Brought to life in partnership by acclaimed performing arts organization Cygnet Theatre and renowned historic preservation group Arts District Liberty Station, The Joan is poised to be San Diego's newest cultural cornerstone

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Arts District Liberty Station and Cygnet Theatre proudly unveil 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 282-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.

"We are thrilled to welcome the public to The Joan and Cygnet Theatre to their new home," said Lisa Johnson, Arts District Liberty Station President & CEO. "We couldn't have fulfilled this vision without the generosity and support of Joan and Irwin Jacobs and our other lead donors, the State of California, National Park Service and everyone who contributed to this landmark project. We look forward to fostering deep community connections at Arts District Liberty Station through the incredible performances and artistic displays seen at The Joan for years to come."

"Joan, being raised in New York City, loved theater, art, and music and greatly enjoyed helping shape the excellence of the performing arts in San Diego. We both became excited when shown the plans to convert the old Navy recreation center to an inviting building with two theaters designed to support the Cygnet and other Liberty Station arts groups as well as High Tech High and Young Lions Jazz Conservatory students. The suggestion to refer to it as The Joan was icing on the cake. Although not with us at the completion, Joan was present at the groundbreaking and thrilled with the scope of the project. She will be very much in the thoughts of family and friends as we celebrate the ribbon cutting and a broad range of performances at the Joan."

BRIDGING HISTORY AND INNOVATION
A nearly eight year project, The Joan is the result of a visionary nonprofit partnership between Arts District Liberty Station and Cygnet Theatre, uniting in a shared commitment to bring an unparalleled arts and cultural destination to San Diego. In 2017, Arts District Liberty Station — San Diego County's largest historic preservation and cultural effort — conducted a study confirming the need and desire for a local performing arts center, leading to the advent of their partnership with Cygnet and identifying Building 178 as the home for this new performance space.

Built in 1942, Building 178 is one of 26 historic buildings at the former Naval Training Center under the stewardship of Arts District Liberty Station. Once a lively Navy recreation center complete with a bowling alley, dance hall and more, the building has been thoughtfully reimagined, creating space for a bold artistic future. Honored with an "Orchid" by the San Diego Architectural Foundation in the Historic Preservation category of its annual awards, The Joan's design masterfully blends preservation with innovation – restoring and retaining key historical elements of the building, including re-established enclosed colonnades and arcades and restored shuttered windows. The building was also restored to its original design with the reconstruction of the entire north portion, excluding the arcade, allowing for the basement level to be transformed into what is now the main stage Joseph Clayes III Theater. Every detail of this project reflects a deep respect for the building's storied past, ensuring its legacy continues as a vibrant space for creativity, community and connection.

The Joan is not only a beacon of San Diego's rich history, but also of the city's innovative spirit. Positioned beneath the San Diego International Airport flight path, The Joan incorporates advanced acoustic solutions – including a specially engineered roof for the proscenium theater and high-performance sound-dampening paneling to ensure an exceptional auditory experience. Additional enhancements such as HVAC shock absorbers and noiseless door fixtures, further deliver a world-class environment for artists and audiences alike.

Arts District Liberty Station and Cygnet Theatre coordinated a top-tier team of partners to realize this landmark project. Theater planning and design was led by Fisher Dachs Associates, the firm behind the design of the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre at the Old Globe Theatre's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. The project's architecture firm is obr Architecture, whose team is responsible for the Liberty Public Market and various other buildings throughout Arts District Liberty Station. Project management was led by female-owned Boretto + Merrill Consulting – the team behind the renovation of the Hotel Del Coronado and the Conrad in La Jolla. Suffolk, whose notable San Diego projects include the Alilia Marea Beach Resort, LEGOLAND Water Park and more, served as general contractor. 

"It has been an incredible honor to help bring The Joan to life," said Christopher Bittner, obr Architecture's Principal Architect. "Preserving San Diego's rich military history while transforming Building 178 and the surrounding Arts District Liberty Station from a military training ground into a world-class showcase for San Diego artists has been nothing short of magical."

"We are incredibly proud to have partnered with Cygnet Theatre and Arts District Liberty Station to bring this extraordinary project to life. The Joan is so much more than just a building — it's a cultural landmark that blends San Diego's historic past with its vibrant artistic future," said Zach Hammond, General Manager of Suffolk San Diego. "At Suffolk, we thrive on delivering complex, meaningful projects that will have a long-lasting impact on the community, so it has been an absolute honor to work alongside visionary partners, including obr Architecture, Boretto-Merrill and many others to create a space that will inspire and connect the San Diego community for generations to come."

CYGNET THEATRE INAUGURAL SEASON AND BEYOND
Cygnet Theatre will kick off its inaugural season – 21st overall – at The Joan on September 10, 2025, with its largest production ever: James Goldman's and Stephen Sondheim's Follies. The inaugural season will run through July 19, 2026 and feature four musicals and two plays, including award-winning and critically acclaimed productions. Mainstage productions at The Clayes theater include: Follies (Sept. 10 - Oct. 12, 2025), A Christmas Carol (Nov. 26 - Dec. 28, 2025), Somewhere Over the Border (Begins Feb. 18, 2026) and The Spongebob Musical (Begins June 10, 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.

DONOR RECOGNITION AND PUBLIC SUPPORT
This cornerstone project could not have been realized without the incredible generosity of Joan and Irwin Jacobs, Dorothea Laub, Joseph Clayes III Charitable Trust, The Conrad Prebys Foundation, the Donald C. and Elizabeth M. Dickinson Foundation, Pamela Hamilton Lester and Molli Wagner, as well as funding from the State of California, National Parks Service and more.

Philanthropic community support also played a crucial role in bringing the project to completion – with ongoing opportunities to be a part of this landmark project still available, including being listed on the permanent donor wall for a minimum donation of $25,000 and naming opportunities starting at $1,000.

Donations can be made via www.building178.org or by calling 619-574-0059 x178 and all donation checks should be made payable to Building 178 Performing Arts Center and mailed to Bank of Southern California 1620 5th Avenue, Suite 120, San Diego, CA 92101. For more information about The Joan, please visit www.building178.org.

IMAGERY - The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center (Credit: Karli Cadel)

About Cygnet Theatre:
Cygnet Theatre Company produces a year-round season of professional Off-Broadway-style theatre as well as thought-provoking and engaging educational programming. Cygnet is committed to maintaining high standards of artistic and fiscal integrity, and serves more than 50,000 patrons annually from San Diego and beyond. Cygnet performs its mainstage productions at the brand-new theatre in Arts District Liberty Station. An active member of the San Diego community, Cygnet has outreach programs serving tens of thousands of students and community members annually.

For more information, visit www.cygnettheatre.org.

About Arts District Liberty Station:
Arts District Liberty Station is a premier destination in San Diego dedicated to enriching the city's vibrant arts and cultural scene through the revitalization of 26 historic buildings in the former Naval Training Center. Spanning 100 park-like acres in Liberty Station, Arts District Liberty Station is home to over 100 museums, galleries, artist studios, dance companies, fine dining establishments, creative retail spaces and other organizations. Visitors experience the arts, culture, creativity, and cuisine that are the hallmarks of the San Diego region and enjoy innovative experiences in a historic setting at Arts District Liberty Station that inspire lives for generations to come. www.artsdistrictlibertystation.org

Media Contact:
Kimberly White
kimberly@mariandgold.com 

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