Arts & Entertainment
Nine lives of an actor
Title role in Seuss adaptation latest for versatile local thesp
Alex Vernon, left, as the fish, and Rich Hammerly as the Cat in ‘Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat.’ (Photo by Bruce Douglas; courtesy Adventure Theatre MTC)
Rick Hammerly
Through September 2
‘Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat’
Adventure Theatre MTC
7300 MacArthur Blvd (Glen Echo Park)
Glen Echo, MD 20812
$19
301.634.2270
Adventuretheatre-mtc.org
Rick Hammerly never considered himself a children’s theater type of guy.
“Small animals and kids have never been two of my favorite things,” he readily shares. So why is the longtime Washington actor donning a tall, striped hat and fur pants to play the title role in “Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat” for crowds of fidgety youngsters at Adventure Theatre MTC seven shows a week?
“Well, Michael Bobbitt (Adventure Theatre’s producing artistic director) is wonderfully sneaky,” says Hammerly, who is gay. “A year ago last spring we were doing ‘1776’ at Ford’s Theater and Michael planted the seed, suggesting that I’d be right for ‘Cat in the Hat.’ During the following months, every now and then he subtly encouraged me that this was something I’d love to do. But I wasn’t entirely convinced.”
Finally last winter, at Bobbitt’s request, Hammerly went to Glen Echo Park to see Adventure Theatre’s “Winnie the Pooh.” “I was seated next to a family,” he says. “Watching how their youngest kid reacted so positively to what was happening on stage completely charmed me. To be a part of children’s formative theater experiences strikes me as a something really important.”
“And c’mon,” Hammerly says. “You don’t pass on playing this part. The cat’s an icon.”
Adapted from the classic book by British director Katie Mitchell, “Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat” is entirely faithful to the original, beloved text. Word for word, it’s the same story of the mischievous cat that drops in on Sally and her brother (played by Jessica Shearer and Tyler Herman), convincing them that a rainy day at home need not be boring. In no time he’s balancing a gold fish on the end of an umbrella and they’re flying kites indoors.
“Looking back, I’d remembered ‘Cat in the Hat’ as more Pollyannaish. I was mistaken; in fact, the cat is kind of bitchy and lives for a good time. It’s very easy for me to go to that place,” Hammerly says. “If there’s any moral to the story, I’d say it’s to have a helluva good time as long as you clean up and don’t get caught.”
Prior to taking the part, Hammerly had been warned that young audiences are completely uncensored.
“Unlike some adult audiences that sit in icy, silent judgment, these kids let you know what they’re feeling. I was afraid that their calling out might be too distracting and break my concentration. But their talking and anticipation of dialog — many know the text by heart — have proven very energizing. It’s an exhilarating, interactive experience.”
After each performance (three on Saturday, three on Sunday and one Monday morning), Hammerly makes a beeline to the theater’s lobby where he mingles with the audience. “Look, I don’t want to take any of these kids home and raise them, but they’re truly adorable. Then again, it’s still early in the show’s run. Ask me in September and I might say something different.”
Hammerly received his bachelor’s degree in drama and anthropology from the University of Virginia. In 2006, he completed his master’s degree in film and video production at the American University and formed his own company, Idle Rich Productions. He is also founder/producing artistic director of Factory 449, a Helen Hayes Award-winning company dedicated to the collaborative process of creating “theater as event.”
He both acts and directs. In September, he is assistant-directing “The Laramie Project” at Ford’s Theatre. The seminal 1998 work by director/playwright Moisés Kaufman presents a community’s response to the brutal murder of gay martyr Matthew Shepard.
“At this point I’m so busy that ideally I need a business partner to help me with work and a boyfriend to take care of things at home and give me a kiss at the end of my long days that typically end at 1 a.m.”
“Very, very eclectic” is how Hammerly describes his performance history. The vast and varied list of parts he’s played includes the post-stroke Bette Davis in “Me and Jezebel” at MetroStage, “A Christmas Carol’s” cheery Mr. Fezziwig at Ford’s, and the hermaphroditic title character in Signature’s “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” for which he won a Helen Hayes Award.
“It’s sort of an oddball bunch,” he says happily.
And now he adds a kid-loving, impish cat to the list.
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center is marking a milestone year in its new home with a vibrant birthday celebration, inviting the community, allies, and media to join the festivities on Saturday, April 25 at 1 p.m.
Since opening its doors in Shaw, The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center has become a hub of support, advocacy, and celebration for LGBTQ+ residents across the District.
The birthday bash promises a day of programming including Yoga (Center Wellness), Micro Bouquet Making (Center Social), Zine Making (Center Arts), and so much more. Guests can also enjoy tours of the Center’s expanded facilities, showcasing spaces for programs, services, and community events.
Since relocating, the Center has expanded its programs, providing critical services. The birthday bash underscores the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s commitment to creating an inclusive space where everyone regardless of identity, age, or background can find community and empowerment.
For more details, contact Paul Marengo at 202-705-2890.
Friday, April 24
Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.
Lesbian Visibility Week will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. There will be a special screening of “Ahead of the Curve.” Enjoy an evening of film, conversation, and community, with cocktails and beverages available throughout the night For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Saturday, April 25
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, April 26
Nellie’s Sports Bar will host “Nellie’s DC Drag Brunch” at 12 p.m. Join Sapphire Blue, Deja Diamond and their team of drag performers for the most fun you’ll have all weekend. Tickets start at $58.51 and are available on Eventbrite.
LGBTQ+ Community Coffee and Conversation will be at 12 p.m. at As You Are. This event is for people looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ community. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, April 27
“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Tuesday, April 28
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Candlelight Vigil” at 6:30 p.m. This is a vigil centered on reflection, support, and collective care. Attendees are encouraged to gather at 6:30 p.m., with the program beginning promptly at 7 p.m. and concluding by 8 p.m. The event will take place on the closed-off Wiltberger Street, providing a dedicated and intimate space for remembrance. Electronic candle lights will be available to participants. For those seeking additional support or who have questions ahead of the event, please contact [email protected].
Wednesday, April 29
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Movement for Healing” at 3 p.m. This trauma- and yoga therapy–informed class is designed to help guests gently reconnect with their body and their breath. Through mindful movement, somatic awareness, and grounding practices, guests will explore how to release tension, increase mobility, and cultivate a deeper sense of safety and ease within. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, April 30
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.
Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
a&e features
Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
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