In Memoriam: Brian S. Newman
It is with profound sadness and deep gratitude that the Theatre and New Dance Department and the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences (CLASS) at Cal Poly Pomona remembers Brian S. Newman, a beloved colleague, educator, mentor and theatre professional. Brian’s impact on the institutions, students and artists he served was immense, and his absence is felt across every space he helped shape with care, precision, humor and heart. At the core of Brian’s work and relationships was a deep belief in possibility, in what people, ideas and communities could become when met with trust, care and intention.
Brian brought to his work an extraordinary breadth of professional experience, paired with an unwavering commitment to people. With more than 25 years as a stage and production manager, his career spanned theater, opera, ballet, festivals and large-scale entertainment, including work with Indiana Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Ballet, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and Cirque du Soleil’s ZAiA in Macau. No matter the scale of the production, Brian was known for his calm authority, meticulous preparation, and ability to balance the countless moving parts of theatrical creation.
Brian joined Cal Poly Pomona in 2020 as an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and New Dance, where he taught stage management, stagecraft and the Theatre Practicum series while serving as the department’s production manager. He approached teaching with the same rigor and generosity that defined his professional practice. Students consistently described him as deeply invested in their success, not only as learners, but as future professionals. He gave meaningful feedback, cared deeply about safety and collaboration, and had an uncanny ability to build teams where everyone could thrive. His classes were filled with insight, real-world knowledge, and stories drawn from a life fully lived in production and theatre.
Brian’s commitment to our campus community extended well beyond the classroom. He represented CLASS in the Academic Senate, serving on its Executive Committee, and contributed to campuswide initiatives, including efforts that supported the university’s return to in-person learning after the pandemic. His leadership reflected steady optimism, practical wisdom, and an enduring belief in collective possibility.
This belief was on full display as he was also instrumental in helping Cal Poly Pomona become the new home of the California State Summer School for the Arts beginning in 2026. In recognition of his excellence as an educator, he received the 2025 Wall of COOL Award for course content and design, presented by the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence.
Alongside his academic leadership, Brian served as director of production and associate managing director for Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre. Though his time with the company was brief, his impact was lasting. Brian was known as a truth-teller and problem-solver with boundless curiosity, and for his rare ability to connect with every aspect of an organization by first caring deeply for the people within it, consistently ensuring those around him felt supported and heard. Through his active involvement with United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Brian mentored and advocated for young professionals nationwide, serving as a trusted resource for those pursuing graduate study, entering the field, or navigating career change. He bridged these professional connections back to Cal Poly Pomona, helping students access United States Institute for Theater Technology (USITT) programs such as the Gateway Program and Stage Management Mentor Project (SMMP) and take meaningful steps toward their professional futures.
Those who worked with Brian remember his signature personality, including his humor, his stories, and his steady presence. He had a remarkable ability to manage complex demands without losing sight of the people at the center of the work. He was a mentor who listened, a colleague who supported, and a leader who believed deeply in theatre and education as spaces for growth, creativity, and opportunity.
Brian earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Louisiana State University and a Master of Fine Arts in stage management from the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Delaware. More importantly, he earned the trust, admiration, and affection of generations of students and collaborators. His legacy lives on in the artists, technicians and educators he helped shape and in the standards of care, excellence and compassion he modeled every day.
Brian S. Newman will be remembered not only for what he built, but for how he made people feel: supported, capable and inspired to believe in possibility.