Our Team

Michael Barra

Co-Founder & CEO

Michael is Founder & CEO of Lively McCabe Entertainment, which he co-founded in 2017 and for which he oversees all development, acquisitions, and transactions. An MBA and former executive at The Walt Disney Company, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and The Araca Group, Michael previously founded production company Stageworks Media (now part of the Broadway Licensing Brand Family) which he successfully sold to private equity firm Rebel Rebel Capital in 2014. For LME, Michael conceived and developed the stage adaptation of Clue, now among the most-produced plays in the world, as well as the jukebox musicals Mystic Pizza, May We All, and Punk Rock Girl. He negotiated slate financing partnerships with music companies including Primary Wave and BMG, and has brokered productions of LME porfolio titles in over two dozen countries to date. At Disney Theatricals, Michael was part of the leadership team overseeing development of Newsies, Aladdin, and Peter and the Starcatcher, as well as setting global strategy for existing titles such as The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Disney on Ice.

 

Katie Dietz

Co-Founder & Principal | GM, Broadway Theater Workshops

Katie oversees the educational arm of Lively McCabe, and serves as the General Manager of portfolio company Broadway Theater Workshops, which was acquired by Lively McCabe in 2022. Her team focuses on the operation and expansion of after-school musical theater performance enrichment programs, including summer camps, student productions, group and private lessons, as well as master classes and coaching. Katie has been a professional actor for over twenty years in New York and Los Angeles, and over the past decade has transitioned to teaching and directing theater for students in and around New York City. She has a BFA in Musical Theater from Ithaca College and was a founding member of Off-Broadway's Gotham Stage Company.

 

Allison Bressi

Vice President, Theater

Allison joined Lively McCabe in 2019 and oversees all theatrical development and licensing activities. She directly oversaw development of musicals Punk Rock Girl and May We All, and is currently developing project slates with both BMG and Primary Wave. Allison, joined Lively McCabe from Signature Theater in New York where she worked for ten years, and prior to Signature worked for Octopus Theatricals, New York Stage and Film, and Foresight Theatricals, and she was  the 2018 Recipient of the T Fellowship founded by Harold Prince and Columbia University.

 

Molly Paul

Program Manager | Broadway Theater Workshops

Molly Paul is a creative consultant with a background in casting, marketing and arts education. A former professional actress, Molly has held a number of casting associate positions for feature films and regional/Off-Broadway productions and served as associate producer for Tituss Burgess’ Carnegie Hall debut. As a consultant, she has assisted numerous production companies, acting studios, and professional theater organizations with marketing and communications. Molly has a BA in theater and media and communications from Muhlenberg College.

 

Darnetha Lincoln M’Baye

Music Consultant | Advisor to the CEO

Darnetha Lincoln M'Baye is a longtime advisor to CEO Michael Barra, and is currently the Senior Director of Creative Licensing at Wise Music. She previously was Vice President of Music at Lively McCabe which she joined from Alchemation LLC, the producing office of Kevin McCollum. While there, she also served as a music consultant on a variety of Broadway productions, including Head Over Heels, The Boys In The Band, Escape To Margaritaville, Oh, Hello On Broadway, and Hand To God. Prior to consulting, Darnetha was VP, Film & Stage at EMI Music Publishing, leading the team for film, trailer, and stage licensing, and she holds a BA from Wake Forest University and an MFA from Florida State University.