Diane McNamara
Production Director
Contracting and Event Production
Actors Equity Association Stage Manager
My Story
I am a New Yorker who walks fast, has a closet full of far too many articles of black clothing and zips around town in a manual car. I have just enough of my Colorado upbringing left in me to give quality directions to tourists, signal when changing lanes and to never utter the colloquialism "on line". With degrees in Theater Performance and Technical Theater from a small Midwestern college, I have worked my entire career as a stage manager and event know-it all. From Broadway to the Superbowl, I am really good at directing traffic and people, on time, on budget and with humor.
Entertainment marketing and celebrity placement
I am currently the Talent Producer for the Tournament of Roses' iconic Rose Parade as well as the General Manager for FeverUp's Astra Luminia immersive experience at the Queens Botanical Gardens.
I am a driven entertainment and events professional who spent almost ten amazing years with Macys, casting and producing entertainment segments for the Thanksgiving Day Parade and numerous iconic national events. I am in the know with the latest trends in music, sports, politics, social influencers, TV, film and pop culture. I have an extensive network of connections and can contact, and contract anyone from dancing Christmas trees to A-list celebrities.
(I have Santa on speed dial).
Production Director
I am a consummate event specialist. I am skilled in budgeting and successful execution of events from intimate to iconic. Extensive experience in PR, partnership marketing, budgets, hotels and hospitality, contracts, unions and time and action for live events.
RECENT PROJECTS
what I've been up to
Astra Lumina - Queens Botanic Garden
General Manqger
November 2023 - Current
Lead and manage all operations of a large-scale, outdoor immersive experience.
Management of a total staff of 70
Main liaison for event with the City of NY and NYC Parks and Recreation.
Merry Wonderer
Production Director
Freelance 2018-2021
Fulltime 2022- Current
Hiring and direction of all Freelance staff. Set up and maintenance of all agency production budgets, master production sheets and production drives. Production meeting management and extensive vendor database ownership. Complete oversight of the production processes. All planning of workers' schedules, estimate costs and prepare budgets to ensure workflow meets required deadlines.
2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Tournament of Roses/Rose Parade
Talent Producer
June 2018- Current
Celebrity Talent contracting and logistics for Grand Marshal, Opening Spectacular and the Closing Spectacular for the 2019, 2020, 2022 2023 and 2024 Rose Parade live on NBC and ABC nationally from Pasadena.
CLAMOR Experiential/ NBC SPORTS
Celebrity Talent
Dec 2017 – Feb 2018
Celebrity management and placement for NBC Sports Best Feb Ever activation In NYC and LA in celebration of the Superbowl and 2018 Olympics on the network in February.
Benchmark Education/Roven Records
Producer/Celebrity Talent
Feb 2017-2019
Celebrity production of luminaries in sports, science, music, film, and stage for the audio component of first ever, non profit poetry curriculum for US public schools in Spanish and English.
Macy's Parade and Entertainment Group
National Events/Celebrity Talent/Marketing
Jan 2009-Jan 2017
Celebrity/Influencer producer for print, TV and social advertising campaigns for Macy’s nationally as well as the Thanksgiving Day Parade and 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular.
Event Portfolio
Astra Lumina - NYC
Moment Factory/FeverUp - Queens Botanic Gardens
Sherri Sheppard Show/ Hertz
Merry Wonderer - LA and NYC
2019, 2020, 2022,2023 and 2024 Rose Parade/ Pasadena CA.
Chaka Khan - Grand Marshal - 2019
Rita Morano, Gina Torres and Laurie Hernandez - Grand Marshalls - 2020
LeVar Burton - Grand Marshal - 2022
Gabby Giffords - Grand Marshal-2023
Audra McDonald - Grand Marshal - 2024
CCRF Dream Gala - Armory MSP, MN
Andy Grammer
American Icons Fashion Campaign
Adam Lambert - model
4th of July Fireworks Spectacular Curated by Usher
Fashion's Frontrow
Ariana Grande at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden
American Icons Fashion Campaign
Johnnyswim - models
American Icons Fashion Campaign
Kelsea Ballerini - model
American Icons Fashion Campaign
Austin Mahone - model
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Jimmy Fallon and The Roots
NBC Sports - Best Feb Ever
Mark Ronson at 30 Rock
Poetry Out Loud
Taye Diggs
Glamorama
Bruno Mars at the San Francisco Orpheum
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Kanye West
NBC Sports Best Feb Ever
The B52's at The Grove, Los Angeles
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Mariah Carey
Passport
Neyo at the Minneapolis Orpheum
Atlanta Great Tree Lighting
Aloe Blacc
LET'S CONNECT
How can we work together?
cool as a cucumber in a bowl of hot sauce 2023