James McNamara

James McNamara is an Associate Professor of Design and Technical Theatre with a focus on Lighting and Sound Design in the Theatre Arts Program here at Westfield State University. Currently, James serves as the Co-Vice Chair of Design, Technology and Management for Region 1 of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Prior to coming to WSU James was a fulltime faculty member in the Theatre and Dance program at Franklin Pierce University, serving as the lighting designer and technical director for the program, James also taught Audio Production in the Mass Comm department of FPU. Over the last 19 years he has worked professionally throughout the county as an educator, designer, assistant and technician. James has been the Assistant Lighting Designer on Productions at the Guthrie Theatre Center, The McCarter Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Clarence Brown Theatre and Bard SummerScape. He has designed extensively for the Chester Theatre Company and Lost Nation Theater and was the resident Lighting Designer for the Sankofa Dance Project. Other designs have been with LaMaMa ETC (NYC), The Pilgrim Theatre Company, CompanyOne, New World Theatre, The Commons Group VT, World Myth and Music and New Century Theatre. James has served as the Lighting Designer/Technical Director for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra and was a Master Electrician/carpenter for Vermont Stage Company from 2002-2005. As an educator James has taught workshops, lectured and designed productions at Yale University, Amherst College, Smith College, UMASS Amherst and Western New England College. James is a proud member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 232 and is currently the Chair of the Board of Trustees for Local 232. He holds an MFA in Theatre with a concentration in Lighting and Sound Design from The University of Massachusetts, Amherst. To see James’ portfolio please visit www.jamesmcnamaradesign.com.