Dedication of ‘The Joan’ evokes memories of civic leader’s passion for the arts

The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center at Liberty Station was formally dedicated Friday with a ribbon-cutting full of celebratory spirit.

Lisa Johnson, president and CEO of the NTC Foundation, summed it up in one word.

“Wow is going to be our word of the day,” she said during her opening remarks. “I hope you say wow when you step inside this amazing facility.”

Arts District Liberty Station has 26 historic buildings that were once part of the Naval Training Center and continue to be re-purposed and dedicated to arts and culture. That’s the case with historic Naval Building 178, now home to the new theater.

Added Johnson, “You don’t get wow without a vision — and a lot of support, and we’ve had all of that in this seven-year journey. We could never have accomplished this without the support of our amazing and supportive team of philanthropists who believed in our vision.”

She credited Joan and Irwin Jacobs, “Dottie” (Dorothea) Laub and The Conrad Prebys Foundation, saying “You made this happen.”

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also paid homage to the late Joan Jacobs, saying he “admired her greatly.” The Cygnet Theatre‘s new home will go by the nickname “The Joan” in her honor.

“Her name on this building will forever be a reminder that a person’s vision and determination can in fact shape the future of an entire city,” he said. “This is also a testament to the immense power, and the impact, of public investment and philanthropy working together to get something done. It was Joan and Irwin Jacobs who stepped forward. Their leadership, and their passion, for the arts in this community turned possibility into reality.”

The mayor presented her husband, Qualcomm co-founder Irwin Jacobs, with a city proclamation declaring Sept. 5 as “The Joan” Day in San Diego.

The center, at 2880 Roosevelt Road, includes a 289-seat proscenium theatre and a 150-seat flexible studio space, as well as support spaces such as dressing rooms, two green rooms, a costume shop and dedicated rehearsal and orchestra spaces.

Irwin Jacobs, who lost his wife in 2024, called it “a very special day to be here, cut the ribbon, and look forward to the first performance next Saturday.

“My only regret is that Joan could not be with us at this event. She was here, however, for the groundbreaking. So she did get an idea for how the building was progressing at that point, and what it was going to look like. And it gave her great pleasure.”

Joan Jacobs’ support for theater grew out of her youth in New York City, her husband said. She knew that Naval Building 178 would need a lot of work to achieve the “wow” factor seen at Friday’s ceremony.

“It is a thrill to see the building, and we did come and visit it in its original shape, after a lot of years of decay. We wondered how it might be able to be transformed,” Irwin Jacobs said. “The results are spectacular. So we’re very pleased and look forward to attending many performances here, and, hopefully, seeing many of you (in audience) here as well.”

Sean Murray, Cygnet’s co-founder and artistic director, noted this is the third theater site he and his colleagues have been a part of creating in San Diego.

“I watched the artists, technicians and designers who worked hard to make this happen and occasionally I’ll turn around and ask, ‘Where are we?'” said Murray. “This is such a stunning facility, and I think back on 23 years ago when I started this company with a few close friends. We had no idea that it would grow like this.

“This building will enable us to open up our hearts to the community,” he concluded. “We’re so proud to touch thousands and thousands of people.”