Liberty Station counts down to opening of new performing arts center

Opening night is fast approaching for the new Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center at Liberty Station in Point Loma, and a ribbon cutting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 5, at the new home of Cygnet Theatre.

The center, nicknamed “The Joan” in honor of Joan Jacobs, the now-late philanthropist who joined with her husband, Irwin, in backing the project, is the rebirth of Liberty Station’s Building 178, formerly an exchange and recreation facility when the present-day commercial and cultural destination was known as Naval Training Center San Diego. The 32,000-square-foot, 1942-era building had been boarded up since 1997.

The $43.5 million renovation, a partnership of Cygnet and the NTC Foundation — now called Arts District Liberty Station — transformed the building into two state-of-the-art performance spaces with advanced acoustic elements and more.

The three-story center includes the 280-seat Joseph Clayes III Theater and the 150-seat black-box Dottie Studio Theater (named for San Diego philanthropist Dorothea Laub), as well as offices; rehearsal, dressing and green rooms; concessions; restrooms; a box office and a patio.

Cygnet Theatre’s 2025-26 season, its first in The Joan, will kick off Wednesday, Sept. 10, with Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway musical “Follies.”

Cygnet, co-founded in 2003 by Executive Director Bill Schmidt and Artistic Director Sean Murray, previously was staging its productions at San Diego’s 246-seat Old Town Theatre.

Lisa Johnson, president and chief executive of Arts District Liberty Station, said great care has gone into creating a facility that restores the old building’s historic arched colonnades, clay roof tiles and original footprint while creating an arts space with soundproof ceiling materials that block the noise of jets taking off from nearby San Diego International Airport, as well as a whisper-quiet heating and cooling system.

Murray said much thought went into deciding The Joan’s inaugural season because it is likely to attract many first-time ticket buyers who could become future season ticket holders if they like what they see.

“As an artist trying to set an agenda for the season, I wanted to include a wide range of experiences for those people who subscribe and decided to stick with us for a whole year,” Murray said. “It’s like a seven-course menu. Not every show can be a dessert and not every show can be the main entrée, so we’re trying to find a good balance.”

Murray said Cygnet specializes in presenting an eclectic mix of “ride-home plays,” meaning shows that are so interesting, thought-provoking and entertaining that audience members want to talk about it afterward on the drive home. “That’s why you do theater — so people can engage in conversation and explore communities they’re not familiar with and learn about their neighbors and their lives.”

In addition to Cygnet’s subscription season, Murray said the company has been looking into setting aside time when Malashock Dance, San Diego Ballet and other Liberty Station dance companies can perform at The Joan.

Here is the seven-show lineup for the 2025-26 season, with Murray’s thoughts on each project:

• “Follies”: Sept. 10 through Oct. 12, Joseph Clayes III Theater

Murray will open the season by directing the 1971 Sondheim musical about a farewell reunion at a crumbling, soon-to-close Broadway theater. As retired showgirls arrive to reminisce, the ghosts of their younger selves are present as they recall past joys and regrets.

Murray said he has produced most of Sondheim’s best musicals but lacked a stage big enough for “Follies” until now.

“It’s a show I’ve absolutely dreamed of doing forever,” Murray said. “It’s about nostalgia and confronting yourself midlife about the choices you’ve made, and all of that is mixed in between this fabulous surreal reunion in a theater full of vaudeville ghosts.”

• “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”: Oct. 8 through Nov. 9, Dottie Studio Theater

Anthony Methvin will direct this 2012 contemporary comedy by Christopher Durang inspired by the characters from Anton Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya.” It’s about the unhappy reunion of three middle-aged siblings in a highly dysfunctional family.

“It’s a very fun, small-cast show that has some huge laughs,” Murray said. “It deals with a lot of life questions and it’s a show we all love. It’s such a great show for tour de force acting. I’ve seen a number of things Anthony has directed that I really liked. This is a great play for him. It matches his sense of humor and Anthony is one of those guys you want to showcase and help him keep expanding his career.”

• “A Christmas Carol”: Nov. 26 through Dec. 28, Joseph Clayes III Theater

This adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic with lyrics by Murray and an original score by Billy Thompson will mark its 10th anniversary. Murray, who directs the play, said he plans to slightly redesign the show and add two more cast members to better suit the larger stage of the Clayes Theater.

• “Cygnet’s A Magical Holiday: Christmas at The Joan”: Dec. 10-28, Dottie Studio Theater

Carlos Mendoza, Cygnet’s education and outreach director, wrote and directs this song-and-dance revue presented in the style of a 1970s TV Christmas special. Presented in The Dottie black-box space, it is intended as a more intimate holiday alternative to “A Christmas Carol.”

• “Somewhere Over the Border”: Feb. 18 through March 15, Joseph Clayes III Theater

Mendoza directs and choreographs the San Diego premiere of this 2022 rock/hip-hop/cumbia musical by Brian Quijada about a young Salvadoran woman named Reina who embarks on a journey from El Salvador to San Diego, where she hopes to achieve her American dream. The production, set in the 1970s and inspired by “The Wizard of Oz,” presents Reina as a Dorothy-like character who meets three new friends who join her on her journey north.

“It has a lot of beautiful, vivacious music about celebrating life and getting on the road to meet your dreams,” Murray said. ”The fact that San Diego is featured in this is also special.”

• “The Lehman Trilogy”: March 25 through April 19, Dottie Studio Theater

Murray directs the San Diego premiere of this 2022 Tony Award-winning play by Stefano Massini. Three actors play 80 characters who trace the 150-year history of the beginning, rise and fall of notorious investment firm Lehman Bros., whose collapse in 2008 was one of America’s greatest financial catastrophes. The story unspools over three acts with two intermissions.

Though the Broadway production was presented on a huge, revolving set, this intimate black-box staging will focus on the language and storytelling in the script.

“It’s all about the actors and the words,” Murray said. “We really fought to get the rights. … It’s a fascinating story and it’s so rich and riveting. The time just flies by.”

• “The SpongeBob Musical”: June 10 through July 5, Joseph Clayes III Theater

Based on Stephen Hillenberg’s animated TV series “SpongeBob SquarePants,” this all-ages 2016 Broadway musical comedy by Kyle Jarrow tells the story of SpongeBob and his undersea companions in Bikini Bottom. It features a score of original songs written by composers including David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, John Legend and Sara Bareilles.

Katie Banville will direct and choreograph the musical, which Murray hopes will be the first in an annual tradition of dedicating one show each season for family audiences.

“It’s a truly wonderful show — hilarious and inspiring, and it’s got great music,” Murray said.

The story calls for a chorus of dancing sardines, a volcano, a villainous amoeba and more.

The Joan is at 2880 Roosevelt Road. For ticket information, visit the box office, call 619-337-1525 or go online to cygnettheatre.org.

In addition, Cygnet will host its new-play reading series, “The Finish Line: A Bill and Judy Garrett Commission,” a free multi-day event including a reception, staged readings and discussions.

Public readings of new plays will take place Nov. 10-15 at the Dottie Studio Theater.

Playwrights awarded The Finish Line commission will be given a week-long workshop culminating in a public reading, a financial award and the opportunity for a world-premiere production at Cygnet.