If only … Brooks McNamara, 1937 – 2009 a personal valediction

Brooks McNamara began teaching at NYU’s Graduate Drama Department in 1968, and was instrumental in its transformation into the Performance Studies Department, which officially was started in 1980. He founded the Shubert Archives in 1976 and served as its Director for 20 years. McNamara's research, writing, and curatorial pursuits resulted in numerous publications, exhibitions, productions, and archival collections. His life work spanned the fields of theatre history, popular entertainments, public celebrations, and New York performance history. After retiring in 1996, McNamara remained Professor Emeritus of Performance Studies and Director Emeritus of the Shubert Archive until his death in 2009. David Mayer is wellknown for his work in popular entertainments. He is especially interested in the crossovers between theatre and film. His latest book is Stagestruck Filmmaker: D.W. Griffith and heatre (2009). He is Professor Emeritus of Drama at the University of Drama at the University of Machester, UK.