"care, simplicity, attention to detail and the delivery of excellence”

About
“Firefly Productions” is the trading name of Donna Macrae. The pandemic changed things considerably for so many of us and I'm now running the business on my own for now. As work scales up, I'll be looking for talented people to join me once more.
 Historically I worked with one to two production assistants, with additional staff drafted in, as and when needed in line with times of increased or decreased activity. With a robust project management system in place, projects across a range of arts and business areas were delivered by a team of skilled, experienced, organised, dependable and highly motivated individuals. I look forward to the post pandemic phase and the return to a busier schedule. Its a great job and a great way of life!

Our clients past and present include:

  • Scotch TV - 2022 ongoing
  • Playpiece Limited - 2022 ongoing
  • Dr Aly Bain and Dr Phil Cunningham-1988 ongoing

  • Dogstar Theatre Company 2015 - 2022
  • Blas Festival Limited 2005 - 2016
    Having set up 4 'test events in 2004, Donna MacRae was the Administrative Director of this festival and Firefly Productions delivered the entire festival on a day to day basis for 12 years from 2005 to 2016
  • Belladrum Festival - arranged backstage volunteers/artiste liaison for a few years for Joe- great fun.
  • Hebridean Celtic Festival: - produced their 10th Anniversary CD
  • Isle of Skye Festival: produced their 'Shipping Forecast' Stage
  • Television Production & Production Mangement for programmes:
    produced by Move On up TV and Top Left productions
    for BBC Television / Channel 4 /Scottish Media Group
  • Fèis Alba- Music Business teaching and training for young musicians
  • H2007
  • Unique Events
  • Highland Print Studios
  • Fèisean Nan Gàidheal
  • BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
  • The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
    Music Business teaching and training for young musicians
  • The Plockton School of Musical Excellence
    Music Business teaching and training for young musicians
  • Proseact nan Ealan / GASD
    Fast Track Courses for Musicians
    Report Writing on future of Gaelic Arts In Scotland
  • Artiste representation for a range of artistes over the years
    Dr Aly Bain MBE and Dr Phil Cunningham MBE
    It is a privilege to have represented Aly and Phil since 1988
  • Moving Hearts-UK/Ireland Tour January 2008
    Irish super group ‘Moving Hearts’ 2008                          
    1-off UK tour while they negotiated
    with a major agency     
  • The Cremation of Sam McGee by Christine Hanson 2008
    Scottish tour.                                               
  • Various Scottish Acts including 1995 - 2010                         
    Carol Laula, Jock Tamson’s Bairns, Cliar
    Duncan Chisholm and Ivan Drever, The Lush Rollers
    The Anna Massie Band, Alyth McCormack
    Andi Neate, The Gordon Gunn Trio, Boxclub,
    Margaret Stewart, Ishbel MacAskill, Paul Anderson
    Donald Black and Malcolm Jones, Rachel Walker
  • Chilean Artistes ‘Voces Del Sur’  2007
  • Russian Classical ensemble ‘Balalaika” 1993 - 1994
  • BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra 2007
    Smoo Cave, Durness, and  Dornoch Cathedral 
  • Tune-Up 2007 – ‘Bellows and Bows’2007
    Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain, The Savoy-Doucet
    Cajun band from Louisiana and Bjorn Stabi and
    Bengan Janson from Sweden

 

  • Actors Representation
    Alyth MacCormack and Anna Murray  2007 - 09 

  • Graphic Design
    ​Over the years I have designed print for a vast range of productions


1983 – present
As the founder and owner of this business, I am involved in many different strands of Project and Event Management including Festival and Event Management, Agency and Tour Coordination, Artist Management and Liaison, Accounting, Media Relations, Artwork and Graphic Design, Project Management, Database Building, Television Production and Theatre production, Teaching..

Lara McDonald
Not 'all by myself' naturally and Lara was a huge part of this business and its success until the pandemic struck and I had to shut up shop for almost 2 years.This level of work needs many hands and the right arm of this business for many years was Lara McDonald.
Originally from Glasgow Lara has lived in New Zealand and Australia.
Lara has an extensive set of skills, knowledge and understanding of the elements involved in project and event management . Able, creative and motivated she is an excellent communicator and organiser. Lara has a strong track record in the Arts world and her CV includes (among a lengthy list of achievements) working in admin at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh, running well known Fiddle and Tuition festival 'Blazin in Beauly', running The Touchwood project for The Forestry Commission, and working for Showcase Scotland at Glasgow's Celtic Connections, 
Additional team members come and go and have included Claire Campbell-now a full time musician and tutor, Lindsay Dunbar - now a very successful self-employed creative with many different strings to her bow, Theresa Bendoris-now the head of Marketing at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness, Rachel Humphries- now working for the writers centre at Moniack Mor, Fiona J Mackenzie- Mod Gold medalist- now living her dream on the Island of Canna where she is in charge of the world renowned John Lorne Campbell collection, and Maureen Hammond -who went on to finalise her Phd (in textiles).

​I've been very lucky and quite blessed to have all of these wonderful people work with me over the years.

HONORARY & VOLUNTARY POSITIONS
Dingwall Players, a fabulous amateur dramatic group, that started up in 1947 - Design and arrange all print
Word On The Street- Dingwall's 3 day Literary and Arts Festival- Member of Committee and design and arrange print
HIMRA - Highland Immigrant Migrant and Refugee Advocacy (assisting Syrian refugees)
(HIMRA is now closed sadly due to lack of funding) 

Former Board Director of:

  • Dogstar Theatre Company
  • David Hughes Dance Company
  • Eden Court Theatre, Inverness - former Member of the Board of Governors
  • Midas (Music Industry Development and Support Working Group)

Personal Interests

  • Knitting - mostly for my grand daughters
  • History of the Near East
  • Comparative religious history
  • Flying: I learned to fly light aircraft between 2006 and 2008

Languages

  • English
  • Russian
  • French
  • Learning Arabic