Irvine Barclay Theatre is the city's strongest cultural venue, a 755-seat hall on the edge of the UC Irvine campus. Its calendar mixes contemporary dance, chamber music, jazz, theatre, speakers, and university-linked performances.
For travellers, it is not a sight to tour in daylight so much as a reason to check the evening listings. The scale is part of the appeal: big enough to attract serious artists, small enough that most seats still feel close to the stage.