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Spacious modern hall with wood floors, exposed beams and ductwork, hanging lights, and tables and seating along one side

The Joan & Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center

Cygnet Theatre

Navy Building 178 has stood at Liberty Station for decades, its bones outlasting the military mission it was built to serve. The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center— The Joan—gives it a new purpose as a dynamic hub for performance, connection, and community.

Designed by obrARCHITECTURE, A Lionakis Company, this 40,000 square foot adaptive reuse project opened September 10, 2025 as the new home of Cygnet Theatre, transforming a historic structure into a vibrant anchor for Liberty Station's Arts District. The Joan honors the building's existing fabric while introducing spaces designed for the full range of live performance, community gathering, storytelling, and cultural engagement: a 300-seat proscenium theater, a 125-seat flexible studio space called The Dottie, and a 900-square-foot rehearsal and event space.

Open-air lobbies, landscaped patios, ADA-accessible seating, concessions, and state-of-the-art production equipment complete a venue designed to welcome both artists and community members.
Modern auditorium with tiered rows of green seats, side steps, and an upper balcony with lounge seating
Theater stage set with worn staircases, platforms, debris, and empty audience seats viewed from the auditorium.
Backstage dressing room with lighted mirrors, chairs, costume racks, and shoes lined up on the floor
Spacious modern hall with wood floors, exposed beams and ductwork, hanging lights, and tables and seating along one side
Modern lobby interior with wood ceiling beams, black trim, large windows, and a softly lit reception counter

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