william "bill" damaschke (born november 20, 1963) is the former president of animation and family entertainment for skydance media, where he served as the key architect setting the overall creative direction and strategy for skydance. in conjunction with the company's feature film and television division, he cured and oversaw a team dedicated to producing a bold and original slate of both animated and hybrid family programming. previously, he spent 20 years at dreamworks animation, most recently as chief creative officer, where he was involved in the creative, artistic, and operational direction of the company. his tenure oversaw the release of some of the company's big franchise films, including madagascar, kung fu panda, how to train your dragon, and the croods. he also oversaw all of dreamworks animation's live theatrical productions, including the award-winning shrek the musical. bill's other current projects as a producer are the new broadway musical the prom, directed and choreographed by casey nicholaw, which begins previews at the longacre theatre in ny on oct. 23, 2018, with an official opening date of nov. 15, 2018, and the broadway-bound musical half time, directed and choreographed by jerry mitchell, which was presented at the paper mill playhouse in spring of 2018, and the stage adaptation of moulin rouge, directed by alex timers, on which bill serves as executive producer.