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.
Arts & Entertainment
Catherine O’Hara, ‘Schitt’s Creek’ star and celebrated queer ally, dies at 71
Actress remembered for memorable comedic roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and ‘Home Alone’
Catherine O’Hara, the varied comedic actor known for memorable roles in “Beetlejuice,” “Schitt’s Creek,” and “Home Alone,” has died at 71 on Friday, according to multiple reports. No further details about her death were revealed.
O’Hara’s death comes as a shock to Hollywood, as the Emmy award-winning actor has been recently active, with roles in both “The Studio” and “The Last of Us.” For her work in those two shows, she received Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding guest actress in a drama series.
In 2020, O’Hara won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series award for her work in the celebrated sixth and final season of “Schitt’s Creek.” She was also known as a queer ally and icon for her theatrical and often campy performances over multiple decades. In “Schitt’s Creek,” she played Moira Rose, the wig-loving mother of David Rose (played by series creator Dan Levy). David is pansexual, but the characters around him simply accept him for who he is; the show was embraced by the LGBTQ community with how naturally David’s sexuality was written and portrayed. That show ran from 2015 to 2020 and helped bring O’Hara and her co-stars into a new phase of their careers.
In a 2019 interview with the Gay Times, O’Hara explained why the show got LGBTQ representation right: “Daniel has created a world that he wants to live in, that I want to live in. It’s ridiculous that we live in a world where we don’t know how to respect each other and let each other be. It’s crazy. Other shows should follow suit and present the world and present humans as the best that we can be. It doesn’t mean you can’t laugh, that you can’t be funny in light ways and dark ways. It’s all still possible when you respect and love each other.”
Additional credits include “SCTV Network” (for which O’Hara won a writing Emmy), “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Six Feet Under,” “Best in Show,” “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” and “Dick Tracy.” O’Hara also lent her voice to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Chicken Little,” “Monster House,” and “Elemental.” O’Hara was expected to return for Season 2 of “The Studio,” which started filming earlier this month.
Friday, January 30
Friday Tea Time will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Bring your beverage of choice. For more information, contact Mac ([email protected]).
Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. This event will be hosted by local drag queens TrevHER and Grey, who will provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, January 31
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, February 1
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community and Conversation” at noon at As You Are. This event is for those looking to make more friends and meaningful connections in the LGBTQ+ community. Look for the Go Gay DC sign on the long table near the front window. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 2
“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 (adamheller@thedccenter.org).
Tuesday, February 3
Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more information, email [email protected].
Wednesday, February 4
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.
Center Aging Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share what they want future events to include. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, February 5
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 5:00 pm 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, breath work 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
D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers listed for sale
Move follows months of challenges for local businesses in wake of Trump actions
A Santa Monica, Calif.-based commercial real estate company called Zacuto Group has released a 20-page online brochure announcing the sale of the D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own.
The brochure does not disclose the sale price, and Pitchers owner David Perruzza told the Washington Blade he prefers to hold off on talking about his plans to sell the business at this time.
He said the sale price will be disclosed to “those who are interested.”
“Matthew Luchs and Matt Ambrose of the Zacuto Group have been selected to exclusively market for sale Pitchers D.C., located at 2317 18th Street, NW in Washington, D.C located in the vibrant and nightlife Adams Morgan neighborhood,” the sales brochure states.
“Since opening its doors in 2018, Pitchers has quickly become the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ bar in Washington, D.C., serving as a cornerstone of D.C.’s modern queer nightlife scene,” it says, adding, “The 10,000+ SF building designed as a large-scale inclusive LGBTQ+ sports bar and social hub, offering a welcoming environment for the entire community.”
It points out that the Pitchers building, which has two years remaining on its lease and has a five-year renewal option, is a multi-level venue that features five bar areas, “indoor and outdoor seating, and multiple patios, creating a dynamic and flexible layout that supports a wide range of events and high customer volume.”
“Pitchers D.C. is also home to A League of Her Own, the only dedicated lesbian bar in Washington, D.C., further strengthening its role as a vital and inclusive community space at a time when such venues are increasingly rare nationwide,” the brochure says.
Zacuto Group sales agent Luchs, who serves as the company’s senior vice president, did not immediately respond to a phone message left by the Blade seeking further information, including the sale price.
News of Perruzza’s decision to sell Pitchers and A League of Her Own follows his Facebook postings last fall saying Pitchers, like other bars in D.C., was adversely impacted by the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard soldiers on D.C. streets
In an Oct. 10 Facebook post, Perruzza said he was facing, “probably the worst economy I have seen in a while and everyone in D.C. is dealing with the Trump drama.” He told the Blade in a Nov. 10 interview that Pitchers continued to draw a large customer base, but patrons were not spending as much on drinks.
The Zacuto Group sales brochure says Pitchers currently provides a “rare combination of scale, multiple bars, inclusivity, and established reputation that provides a unique investment opportunity for any buyer seeking a long-term asset with a loyal and consistent customer base,” suggesting that, similar to other D.C. LGBTQ bars, business has returned to normal with less impact from the Trump related issues.
The sales brochure can be accessed here.
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