Literary Properties of Tennessee Williams, Langston Hughes and More Included in Licensing EXPO 2026
The ILP team, led by Michael Barra, ILP’s CEO of Theatrical and Global Franchise Management, will be hosting meetings at the Expo Floor.
International Literary Properties is attending the 2026 Licensing Expo for the first time as a Licensor. ILP brings together the most iconic writers, authors, playwrights and lifestyle thought leaders in a uniquely curated collection of iconic intellectual properties. As ILP continues to grow its portfolio, the company is now strategically seeking collaborators and licensees to extend these properties into new consumer products and experiences.
The ILP team, led by Michael Barra, ILP’s CEO of Theatrical and Global Franchise Management, will be hosting meetings on the Expo Floor at space Q225-13.
“At ILP, not only are we are the stewards tasked with protecting these timeless works, but we also strive to amplify their impact globally to ensure they continue to connect with audiences for generations to come,” Barra said. “We look forward to collaborating with category leaders around the world to assist ILP and our partners in achieving this mission.”
Tennessee Williams
is widely regarded as one of the foremost playwrights of 20th-century American drama. Known for his lyrical language and the complex psychology of his characters, Williams frequently explored themes of violence, repression, and the clash between tradition and modernity in his works. Over the course of his career, Williams authored 39 plays, 11 screenplays, two novels, numerous short stories, and more than 70 one-act plays. He received, among other honors, two Pulitzer Prizes (A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof) and a Tony Award (The Rose Tattoo). Many of Williams’ most notable plays have been adapted into acclaimed films, allowing his work to reach a global audience.
Langston Hughes
(1901-1967) was a poetic innovator and a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance — an arts movement and intellectual revival in the 1920s that celebrated Black cultural expression. Hughes’ work was inspired by his life in New York City’s mid-century Harlem, a primarily Black working-class neighborhood at the time. Through his poetry, novels, plays, essays, and children’s books, he sought to honestly depict the joys and hardships of Black lives, avoiding both sentimental idealization and negative stereotypes. Often call ‘The People’s Poet’ his writing promoted equality, condemned racism and injustice, and helped shape American literature and politics.
THE WESTING GAME: Ellen Raskin
(1928-1984) established an impressive career as a commercial artist, designing over 1,000 book covers including the dust jacket for the first edition of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. Before long, Raskin began writing and illustrating her own novels for children and young adults. Specializing in lighthearted mysteries, Her most famous novel, The Westing Game, continues to endure as a children’s classic bestseller and is currently in development as a major studio motion picture.
FASHION NOIR: Inspired by James M. Cain
(1892 – 1977), an internationally acclaimed American novelist whose melodramas about crime and desperation epitomized the so-called 'hard-boiled' school of writing that flourished in the mid-20th century. Cain is best known as a cornerstone in the NOIR genre for his masterpieces The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity which have been continually in print since first publication and inspired iconic movie adaptations. Cain’s work has sold millions of copies and is rightly lauded as one of America’s literary greats. FASHION NOIR creates an opportunity for an iconic designer collection of fashion apparel and accessories.
Robin Sharma: The 5 AM CLUB:
Robin Sharma is a #1 international best-selling self-help book The 5 AM Club (2018) that presents a framework for personal mastery and productivity by rising at 5:00 a.m. The 5:00 AM Promise: Waking up early provides a "Victory Hour" (5–6 a.m.) allowing you to start the day peacefully instead of rushing. Robin reaches millions of devotees with persistent content, learning tools, events and technology. ILP is working with Robin and his team to extend The 5 AM club
MIRACLE MORNING:
Hal Elrod is leading a worldwide movement to elevate the consciousness of humanity, one morning at a time. He’s the bestselling author of 12 books, most notably The Miracle Morning - which has over 10,000 reviews on Amazon, has been translated into over 35 languages and sold millions of copies. His latest project is the brand-new Miracle Morning Movie, a documentary that shows you how millions of people are transforming their lives by simply changing how they start their day.
Also representing ILP on site will be ILP Theatrical Chairman Tom McGrath, SVP of Global Franchise Management Kent Nicholson, and ILP’s consumer products and brand licensing consultant Elie Dekel of Dekel Brands.
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