Cygnet Theatre has moved to Arts District Liberty Station!
Cygnet Theatre and Arts District Liberty Station have partnered and transformed the historic former Navy Building 178 at Liberty Station into a world-class performing arts venue for San Diego, creating a permanent home for Cygnet Theatre.
The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center, known as “The Joan,” includes two state-of-the art theatre spaces with spacious, ADA-accessible seating, a rehearsal space, open air lobby, two elegant bars, three landscaped patios, ample restrooms, and convenient parking. An art gallery occupies the lower lobby space showcasing local artists.
Where is The Joan located?
Cygnet’s new permanent home is the renovated Building 178, now called The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center, located at Arts District Liberty Station in Point Loma. Our address is 2880 Roosevelt Road, San Diego, CA 92106, between Truxtun and Historic Decatur Roads.
Isn’t that an airport flyover area?
Yes! Because it is located near the airport in a flyover area, we have worked with our architect and an acoustics firm to design advanced features that mitigate noise from the lobby and plane flyover.
Why did Cygnet move?
The Joan provides Cygnet Theatre with ample space for arts programming in a contemporary space that fits our contemporary values. The Joseph Clayes III Main Stage Theater allows us to continue programming more commercially-known productions, while the Dottie Studio Theater allows us to take larger artistic risks with an intimate audience.
This move also improves Cygnet’s long-term financial sustainability by consolidating all company functions under one roof, providing a long-term lease at significantly lower costs than we were previously paying. Our new location within Arts District Liberty Station positions Cygnet in a highly visible space among arts and culture enthusiasts and potential new audience members. We’re very excited about the plentiful parking, too.
What will happen to Old Town Theatre?
Cygnet currently leases Old Town Theatre from California State Parks. California State Parks will determine the theater’s future use once Cygnet’s lease is up.
How will this benefit the community?
Cygnet is excited to partner with and present more opportunities for other artists and organizations within the performing arts center. These partnerships will foster live performance and elevate the arts for the region. The Joan will also provide additional employment opportunities, encourage increased partnerships with under-resourced communities throughout the region, and attract more than 50,000 theatre attendees each year to patronize nearby businesses.
This sounds great! How long did construction on this project take?
In July 2023, much-needed building maintenance was completed to preserve the integrity of the historic portion of Building 178 in preparation for official construction and renovations.
On December 5, 2023, construction of The Joan officially began and we held our official groundbreaking ceremony on January 23, 2024.
Construction was completed on time and under budget and the space was ready in time for our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on September 5, 2025, marking the official opening of The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center.
What shows are in Cygnet Theatre’s inaugural season at The Joan? When is the first show?
Our inaugural season at The Joan includes Follies, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, A Christmas Carol, Cygnet’s A Magical Holiday: Christmas at The Joan, Somewhere Over the Border, The Lehman Trilogy, and The Spongebob Musical. Check out more details HERE.
How was this project funded?
With the enthusiasm and generosity of our community’s philanthropic leaders, Cygnet and Arts District Liberty Station have raised 88% of the project’s total $43.5M cost. We will continue to rely on philanthropic donations from the community for the remainder.
How can I support the project?
Thank you for asking! For information about how to make a contribution, please visit our Ways to Give page.