معرفی
James McNamara is Professor of Lighting and Sound Design and Chair of the Theatre Arts Department at Westfield State University. He serves as Associate Artist/Designer at The Chester Theatre Company (since 2006) and Company Member at Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, MA, with extensive professional design credits across national venues including LaMaMa ETC, Calvin Theatre, and collaborations with major touring acts.
Education:
- MFA in Theatre Design, UMASS Amherst
Research Interests: McNamara specializes in the integration of lighting and sound design within theatrical production, emphasizing immersive audience experiences through technical precision and artistic innovation. His work bridges practical stagecraft with academic instruction, spanning experimental theatre (LaMaMa ETC), dance collaborations (Sankofa Dance Project), and national concert tours. He extends this expertise into Music for Theatre through active percussion and multi-instrumental performance.
Professional Leadership: Served as Chair of IATSE Local 232 Board of Trustees (2015-2017) and held consecutive leadership roles in the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 1, including Co-Vice Chair (2015-2017) and Co-Chair of Design, Technology and Management (2018-2020).
Awards: No scientific awards were documented in the provided source material.
Advising and Grants: While actively teaching undergraduate programs at Yale University, Amherst College, Smith College, and UMASS Amherst, the source text does not specify student advising relationships or research grant acquisitions.
Collaborative Networks: Maintains active design partnerships with 14+ theatre institutions including Chester Theatre Company, Shakespeare and Company, Ancram Opera House, and CompanyOne. His Calvin Theatre residency involved lighting designs for national acts such as Lilly Tomlin, The Bangles, and Gary Burton Quartet featuring Pat Metheny, demonstrating cross-disciplinary industry integration.
