International Literary Properties Names Michael Barra Chief Executive Officer
Barra, who co-founded ILP Theatrical and acquired rights to Tennessee Williams and ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, expands his leadership role.
International Literary Properties, which invests in, acquires, and manages literary and theatrical intellectual property, today announced the promotion of Michael Barra, currently CEO of ILP Theatrical & Global Franchise Management, to Chief Executive Officer, inclusive of the Americas, UK, and Europe.
The move comes as literary and theatrical catalogs increasingly draw investor interest and institutional capital. With streaming platforms gravitating towards proven, audience-tested adaptations over original programming, the value of owned IP catalogs continues to grow. ILP was the first global player to recognize how literary and theatrical estates can present in the multi-channel brand, licensing, and media universe, and has been working assiduously on acquisitions, growth, and franchise management since its founding. Barra's promotion situates the company's most active and trusted dealmaker to lead this maturing asset class.
Barra co-founded ILP's Theatrical division in 2024 alongside Tom McGrath (McGrath continues as Chairman of ILP Theatrical). In two years, among the foundational writers Barra acquired for Theatrical were Pulitzer Prize winners Tennessee Williams, Alfred Uhry, and Marsha Norman. He also secured Paddy Chayefsky, Damon Runyon, Jean Shepherd, Cornell Woolrich, Ronald Harwood, and Joseph Kesselring's Arsenic and Old Lace. Beyond this rich theatrical slate, Barra built ILP's global IP management team, which now oversees film, television, stage, publishing, audio, and consumer products licensing across the company's full portfolio of over fifty authors.
Barra is a theatrical intimate, having started producing plays after launching off-Broadway's Gotham Stage Company in 2005. He subsequently worked under Alan Bergman at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank and then moved to Disney Theatrical Group in New York in 2010, where he led their Business Development and Franchise Management functions as part of DTG's senior leadership team and set their theatrical licensing strategy, which is still employed today. He is best known for founding the theatrical development and management company Lively McCabe Entertainment in 2017, the originator of the global hit play adaptation of CLUE among other branded titles. An expert on copyright, licensing, and franchising, Barra is a sought-out lecturer and speaker, frequently published on the topic of live-stage copyrights.
"Michael's creative and financial acumen, temperament, theatrical chops, and literary sensibility positioned him as the natural leader for ILP," said Milena Alberti, ILP's Board Chair and former Executive Chair. "He recognizes the importance of artistic legacy and understands the work that needs to be done to maintain it. He's won the confidence of estates and their families, and just as importantly, he built the infrastructure to reinforce that trust — the licensing and adaptation engine that turns a rights acquisition into a living, growing franchise. He understands our clients' financial interests, and how to build a revenue stream that suits them. I hasten to add, he's also a reader and theatre goer, which is a wonderful combination to have in our line of business.”
"The broader media industry is finally recognizing what those of us who've spent our lives in theater and publishing have always known, which is that many of these iconic stories have enormous life left in them," said Barra. "My job is to make sure ILP remains the company that literary and theatrical authors, estates and their representatives choose to work with. The team we have assembled here, and the collective knowledge they bring to bear in theatre, publishing, film and television, licensing, and overall franchise management, are unrivaled. We are a trusted partner for agents, estates, and publishers, providing supplemental support across all media and territories. And we're in the business of delivering audiences.”
International Literary Properties is a global company that invests in, acquires, manages, and enhances literary and theatrical estates. Founded in 2019 and with a team based across New York, London, and Los Angeles, ILP works closely with book authors, playwrights, lyricists and composers, along with their representatives, heirs and estate managers to protect legacies and bring classic works to new international audiences. Since its founding ILP has built a diverse portfolio of iconic creators, including Tennessee Williams, Langston Hughes, August Wilson, Frank Wildhorn, Ann Rule, Ellen Raskin, Alfred Uhry, and more. ILP partners with leading creatives and media producers to develop new opportunities and adaptations across publishing, television, film, theatre, and consumer products. ILP is a portfolio company of Viking Global.
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