Jointly owned by the city and university, it opened in 1990 and has hosted various musicians, bands, plays, and guest speakers.

During the speech, Gorbachev criticized the U.S. invasion of Iraq and at one point received a standing ovation from the crowd.

During its closure, the theater organization spent over $2 million to install new seats, carpet, lighting, and air conditioning in the venue.

[9] Larry Cannon of San Francisco-based firm Wurster, Bernardi and Emmons designed the 755-seat Barclay Theatre.

Upon the Barclay's opening in September 1990, the Los Angeles Times described the "jewel box" theater's interior as a "stripped-down rococo elegance" with a "feminine intimacy" that stands in contrast to the building's "cool, masculine" exterior.