When we think of “constructed from recycled material,” we think “beige.” Sitting in one of the 125 seats in this circular, mini-Shakespearean “wooden O,” all we see is beauty. Not knowing what to expect, UC Irvine drama professor Eli Simon's al fresco architectural marvel made us cry like little babies when we first entered it. Taken apart when inclement weather shows its ugly face, the New Swan Theater is stored most of the year, making its appearance during the summer months to house intimate, accessible productions of Shakespeare under the stars. (It also hosts American musicals, but we won't hold that against it.)
