Rick Hammerly

Rick Hammerly has enjoyed a successful stage career as well as work in film and television. He received a 2003 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical 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," as Prior Walter and "Me and Jezebel," as a post-stroke Bette Davis. His directing credits for the stage include productions of "Vampire Lesbians of Sodom," "A Manual of Trench Warfare," "Etta Jenks" and "The New World Order."

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.

Hammerly wrote, directed, produced and acted in "signage," the first film for Idle Rich Productions, which has screened in over 60 film festivals world wide. To date, the film has garnered 5 festival awards and was a finalist for the inaugural Iris Prize. MTV licensed the film for its LOGO channel where it received its TV premiere in November 2007. "signage" secured distribution in the US/Canada through Wolfe Releasing and international distribution through Ouat Media. In June 2008, Wolfe Video released the film on dvd as part of the shorts compilation.

In April 2009, Hammerly founded Factory 449: a theatre collective with six other DC-based artists. He produced Factory 449's award-winning workshop production of Sarah Kane's "4.48 Psychosis" for the 2009 Capital Fringe Festival ("Best Drama" & "Best Overall Production" by the Festival, "Favorite Festival Play" by DC Theatre Scene), as well as the company's inaugural production of "4.48 Psychosis" at the Warehouse in October 2009. He serves as Factory 449's Producing Artistic Director.