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PHOTO BY KARLI CADEL e Curtain Rises on "e Joan" Cygnet eatre's new home opens at Liberty Station S an Diego County now has two state-of-the-art live performance spaces at Arts District Liberty Station in Point Loma, thanks to a public-private partnership. Officially named e Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center, it was nicknamed "e Joan" in honor of the late philanthropist. e couple, longtime patrons of the arts, gave $10 million to support the project. ey attended the groundbreaking two years ago, but unfortunately, Joan passed away before she could see its completion. e Joan opened in mid-September with a ribbon cutting that included Irwin Jacobs, Mayor Todd Gloria, and other dignitaries followed by a flurry of festive parties and performances. Cygnet eatre, founded in 2003, now has a new home in Building 178. e historic part of that building was originally constructed in 1942, although changes were made over the years until the former Naval Training Center was decommissioned in the late 1990s, according to Lisa Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Arts District Liberty Station. Founded in 2000, the Arts District's goal is to enrich the lives of San Diegans by repurposing 18 of the 26 historic buildings, with 8 more to go. "It already had a history as a place of gathering," notes Bill Schmidt, Cygnet's Executive Director. "It once housed the base exchange, with a store, disco, bowling alley, and more for the military community." It is now home to e Joseph W. Clayes III eater, a 280-seat proscenium theater, and e Dottie Studio, a 150-seat studio named for philanthropist Dorothea Laub. So now, e Joan will continue as a gathering place, albeit with a new "cast": producers, directors, actors, musicians, set designers, makeup artists, lighting professionals, and audiences from all over San Diego County. "e campus is beautiful and a true hub of activity in San Diego," Schmidt continues. "It's centrally located, easy to access from anywhere in the county, and has plentiful parking — BY ANDREA NAVERSEN Focus philanthropy ranchandcoast.com 58 OCTOBER 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE