Rick Hammerly Joins WAPAVA as New Executive Director

Washington Area Performing Arts Video Archive (WAPAVA) and WAPAVA President Jackson R. Bryer have announced that Rick Hammerly has joined the organization as its new Executive Director as of October 1, 2020. Hammerly, a 2-time Helen Hayes Award-winning actor/director, is also the Producing Artistic Director of Factory 449.

"We feel extremely fortunate and are very excited that Rick has accepted the Executive Director position with WAPAVA," said Bryer. "With Rick's experience as both a Helen Hayes Award-winning actor and a Helen Hayes Award-winning director, his contacts in the theatre community, and the respect he commands from three decades of work in our community, he is ideally suited, not only in continuing WAPAVA's mission of archiving DC-area theatre, but in leading the organization in exciting and innovative new ways to expand WAPAVA's reach and public image."

"The DC area has become the fastest growing theatre region in the country," said Hammerly. "Our community's continued desire to entertain and effect change through the art and power of theatre has increased our national theatrical presence, dare I say, dramatically. To join WAPAVA, an organization tasked with documenting that theatrical journey, is both an honor and a privilege. I look forward to working with Jackson and WAPAVA's Board of Directors in the continued endeavor to increase and diversify the Archive, while advocating and amplifying WAPAVA's crucial mission of preserving DC area theatre in the James J. Taylor Collection."

Hammerly has worked as an award-winning, DC-based actor/director, producer, filmmaker, and arts manager for three decades. He received a 2018 Helen Hayes Award for his direction of Factory 449's LELA & CO. and received a 2020 Helen Hayes Award nomination for his direction of AGNES OF GOD, also for Factory 449.

Recent directorial highlights include REYKJAVIK (Rorschach Theatre), EMILIE: LA MARQUISE DU CHATELET DEFENDS HER LIFE TONIGHT (WSC Avant Bard), THE BRONTES (New York Musical Theatre Festival), JUNIE B. JONES IS NOT A CROOK (Adventure Theatre MTC), DRIVING MISS DAISY (Riverside Center for the Performing Arts), FINIAN'S RAINBOW (Live Arts Maryland), DEAD MAN WALKING (American University) and CLOSET LAND (Factory 449). He worked as the assistant director on Ford's Theatre's productions of THE LARAMIE PROJECT, DRIVING MISS DAISY, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, and JEFFERSON'S GARDEN and was selected to participate in The Shakespeare Theatre Company's 2015/16 Director's Studio program.

As an actor, he has performed Off-Broadway, regionally, and locally, receiving a Helen Hayes Award for his turn as Hedwig in Signature Theatre's production of HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, as well as nominations for his work in ANGELS IN AMERICA (Signature Theatre), ME AND JEZEBEL (MetroStage) and OLIVER! (Adventure Theatre MTC). For the past decade, he has played Mr. Fezziwig in Ford's Theatre's annual production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL and was most recently seen as Miss Tracy Mills in Round House Theatre's THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE.

Born and raised in Arlington, VA, Hammerly received his BA in Theatre from the University of Virginia. In 2006, he completed his MA in Film and Video Production at American University, then wrote, directed, produced and acted in signage, his first film, which screened in over 60 film festivals world wide. The film garnered 5 festival awards, received its TV premiere on MTV's LOGO Channel, and was purchased by Wolfe Video for DVD release as part of the shorts compilation, S IS FOR SEXY.

Hammerly is a founder and current Producing Artistic Director of Factory 449, a Helen Hayes Award-winning DC theatre company in residence at Anacostia Arts Center. He is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), Actors' Equity Association (AEA), and currently serves on theatreWashington's Advisory Committee.

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