The creative team
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David M. Rudy, a University of Miami alum with a BBA in Entrepreneurship, has built a diverse entertainment career. Starting in the mailroom at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and rising to agent trainee, he gained invaluable industry experience. He then moved to Endeavor (now part of WME) before founding his own company, Armada Partners, representing actors from over a dozen countries, influencers, designers, and elite athletes. David also creates and produces TV and film content, including Netflix's "Pet Stars," an award-winning Super Bowl 50 commercial for PepsiCo's Doritos® brand, and an award-winning feature documentary. Passionate about storytelling, his projects cover a range of topics from the U.S. Coast Guard to environmental conservation, sports medicine, and even Hanukkah. He is also a dedicated philanthropist, supporting causes like #FirstRespondersFirst, Los Angeles music education, and created a scholarship for children of active and fallen members of the U.S. Coast Guard.
david m. rudy, producer
Kraft-Engel Productions founded by Richard Kraft and Laura Engel, is renowned for producing an extensive repertoire of shows, concerts, albums and specials.
The duo has produced shows at iconic venues such as the Hollywood Bowl and Royal Albert Hall including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, La La Land, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. These productions have featured top-notch performers, including Billie Eilish, Sara Bareilles, Rebel Wilson, Catherine O’Hara, Lea Michele, Zooey Deschanel, Kelsey Grammer, Taye Diggs, and "Weird Al" Yankovic.
They have also produced A Whole New World of Alan Menken, the Emmy-winning Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton (Live from Lincoln Center), and Evil Dead Live at the Ace Hotel. The Grammy-nominated Danny Elfman & Tim Burton 25th Anniversary Box Set was also a product of their collaboration.
Kraft-Engel Productions' work was recognized with a Telly Award for the Emmy-nominated Soundtrack of Our Lives: This online special featured an impressive lineup, including Sting, William Shatner, Patti LuPone, Zachary Levi, Reba McIntire, Drew Carey, Darren Criss, Ted Danson, Harvey Fierstein, Holly Hunter, and Hans Zimmer.
They continue to develop new shows for the stage, concert halls and beyond.
kraft-engel Productions
Andy Fickman is an award-winning director, writer, and producer whose diverse work spans film, television, theater, and digital media. Recently, he directed the pilot for the Disney+ reboot of Wizards of Waverly Place, reuniting Selena Gomez and David Henrie. He also directed Heathers the Musical, now in its third West End run. His other notable projects include the upcoming horror film Don't Turn Out The Lights, Buzzfeed’s One True Loves, and the family comedy Christmas Again. Fickman has helmed popular films like The Game Plan, Playing with Fire, Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, She’s The Man and Race to Witch Mountain. Additionally, he directed the Emmy-winning Reefer Madness: The Musical and its stage productions.
Andy Fickman, Director & Book
Richard Kraft has directed and produced shows at major venues including the Hollywood Bowl of such musicals as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, La La Land, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmaswith with all-star casts including Billie Eilish, Sara Bareilles, Rebel Willson, Catherine O’Hara. Lea Michelle, Zoey Deschanel, Kelsey Grammer, Taye Diggs and “Weird Al” Yankovic.
Kraft has also directed Alan Menken’s one-man show A Whole New World of Alan Menken, and produced the Emmy-winning Danny Elfman’s Music from the Films of Tim Burton (Live from Lincoln Center). He executive produced ABC’s Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration starring H.E.R., Josh Groban, Martin Short and Shania Twain, and ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Little Mermaid Live! starring Queen Latifah, Auli’i Cravalho and John Stamos.
He’s also the book writer and lyricist for a new musical, A Beautiful Lie, directed by 3-time Emmy nominee Jamal Sims.
In addition, Richard directed, wrote and produced the online special Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Celebration for the Film & TV Music Community featuring Sting, William Shatner, Patti LuPone, Zachary Levi and Reba McIntire. He directed and produced Evil Dead Live at the Ace Hotel.
His award-winning feature documentary, Finding Kraftland played at over 75 film festivals around the world. Richard’s That’s From Disneyland exhibit of Disney theme park artifacts garnered great attention and money for charity.
Kraft is also the co-owner of Kraft-Engel Management, one of the world’s leading agencies specializing in representing film, theatre, television and video game composers, songwriters and music supervisors.
richard kraft, producer & book
Jimena Caballero is a songwriter, composer, singer, and pianist from Mexico City, listed as one of the “100 Women to Watch” in Mexico by Forbes, as well as Forbes “100 Most Creative Mexicans in the World.” She has performed alongside artists such as Lang Lang, Herbie Hancock and Armando Manzanero, as well as with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra. She was associate producer on the musical “A Beautiful Lie”, directed by 3-time Emmy nominee Jamal Sims. Her music has been featured in "The Young and the Restless", the Fasma Cine series "Panzas Verdes", and the upcoming film "Cancelados". During her time at Berklee College of Music, Jimena received various awards such as the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Award on two occasions, the Pat Pattison Award in Songwriting, the Jack Maher Award for Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting, and the Mili Bermejo Award for Voice. She is currently adapting the novel Esperanza Rising into a musical with her writing partner Emma Cordray. Together, they were selected as part of the ASCAP Foundation’s 2024 Musical Theatre Librettist Workshop and for the 2024 Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project.