New Swan Theater, Open-air theatre at University of California, Irvine, US.

The New Swan Theater is an open-air venue at the University of California, Irvine, with 132 seats arranged across three circular levels. Every seat offers a close view of the stage and good sightlines from all positions.

The venue opened for its inaugural season in August 2012 with performances of Comedy of Errors and The Merchant of Venice. Since then, it has grown into a regular fixture of the university's cultural programming.

The space hosts multiple Shakespeare plays each summer, keeping classical theater traditions alive for audiences year after year. Spectators experience performances up close, creating a connection between actors and viewers that feels personal and immediate.

The 15 one-ton modular units are moved to Gateway Commons in early June and stored away for winter, so the theater only stands during the festival season. Seating is divided into five named sections: the Kings row and the Groundlings on the stage itself, the Queens and Lords in the mezzanine, and the Heavens on the balcony above.

The theater is built from 15 modular units, each weighing one ton, made of recycled wood and steel. It is dismantled and stored every winter, then moved to Gateway Commons in early June. Its five seating tiers are named Kings, Groundlings, Queens, Lords and Heavens.