American University's DEAD MAN WALKING Begins 9/29

Factory 449 Artistic Director Rick Hammerly (currently pursuing an Arts Management degree at American University) directs Dead Man Walking for American University's Department of Performing Arts. The production, a stage version of Tim Robbins' award winning screenplay, Dead Man Walking is presented in conjunction with the Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project. Assistant Directed by Hunter Styles, the cast features thirteen American University students playing forty roles.

Dead Man Walking runs September 29 - October 1, 2011 at American University's Katzen Studio Theatre, located at 1021 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. Performances are Thursday, September 29 - Saturday, October 1 at 8 pm, with a matinee performance Saturday, October 1 at 2 pm.

There will be a panel discussion (Dead Man Walking & The Death Penalty) following the Saturday 2 pm performance. The panel includes Kirk Bloodsworth (first U.S. Death Row inmate exonerated by DNA), Jim Rocap (attorney for the first woman executed in Virginia), Terry Steinberg (mother of the youngest person on Virginia's Death Row), and Diann Rust-Tierney (Executive Director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty)
Additionally, there will be a post-show discussion with the cast and director following the Friday 8pm performance to discuss the play, the production process and the issues brought to light by the performance.

All tickets are $15 ($10 AU community and seniors) and can be purchased by phone at (202) 885-ARTS or online at: www.american.edu/auarts

Award-Winning Actor, Screenwriter and Director Tim Robbins wrote the stage play of Dead Man Walking for young Americans to, "further widen the circle of public discourse on the death penalty," and together with Sister Helen Prejean created the Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project, offering the play to colleges and universities across the nation.

"American University's decision to produce the stage version of Dead Man Walking creates an opportunity for the next generation to discover ways of thinking about the role of art in exploring the issues that affect us," states Director Rick Hammerly. "The play is extremely accessible, challenging both the student cast and audiences, while creating a powerful vehicle for teaching, learning, commitment and a willingness to examine one of the most complex moral issues of our day. Working with these students, our next generation of theatre artists, on such a powerful piece and providing them the opportunity to work with a variety of area theatre professionals has been extremely rewarding."
"Of equal importance," Hammerly adds, "we have been in contact with Troy Anthony Davis, a current inmate on Georgia's Death Row, who has been receiving a great deal of national press for his scheduled execution this Wednesday, September 21. In using his recorded words and thoughts to begin and end our production of Dead Man Walking, we are able pay tribute to the life of Troy and emphasize the relevance and need for discussion of this polarizing issue."

SYNOPSIS

Sister Helen Prejean, a nun working in the St. Thomas Projects of New Orleans, receives a desperate letter from Matthew Poncelet, a death row inmate who is seeking help in avoiding execution for the rape and murder of two teenagers. As Poncelet's execution nears, Sister Helen finds herself conflicted with feelings of empathy for the victims, their families, Poncelet's family and even the murderer himself. In the hours approaching Poncelet's execution, Sister Helen must decide how she will deal with the paradox of caring for this condemned man while comprehending the heinousness of his crimes.

PLAYWRIGHT

Tim Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an actor, screenwriter, director, producer, activist and musician. He is known for his roles in Bull Durham, The Shawshank Redemption, Jacob's Ladder, Short Cuts and Mystic River, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. His screenwriting credits include Bob Roberts, Cradle Will Rock and Dead Man Walking for which his was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. An adaption of his own screenplay, Dead Man Walking marks Robbins' first writing for the stage.
CAST

Afua Busia, Chris Carillo, Zach Cohen, Noah Cooper-Hauser, Sam Edgerly, Emily Goodell, Erika Grob, Sarah King, David Landstrom, Michael Litchfield, Shannon McArdle, Michael Poandl, and Alexandra Vaughan.

DIRECTOR

Rick Hammerly has performed Off Broadway, regionally and locally, receiving the 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. He has directed productions for Ganymede Arts, SCENA Theatre, Consenting Adults Theatre Company and Fourth Wall Productions. A Washington area native, Mr. Hammerly has a master's degree in film and video production and will receive his second master's degree (in arts management) from American University in 2012. His debut film, signage, which he wrote, directed and produced, has screened in over 60 film festivals in the U.S. and internationally, garnered six film festival awards and was licensed by MTV for their Logo Channel. In June 2008, Wolfe Video released signage on DVD in the US/Canada as part of the short film compilation, "S is for Sexy." In 2009, Hammerly founded Factory 449: a theatre collective with six other DC-based artists and has since produced the company's award-winning production of Sarah Kane's 4.48 Psychosis, as well as The Saint Plays and Magnificent Waste. He currently serves as Factory 449's Producing Artistic Director. Factory 449 was a 2011 Helen Hayes Award recipient of the John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company.
DESIGN

The design team for Dead Man Walking includes Joey R. Walls (Lighting Design), Jesse Achtenberg (Projection/Video Design), David Lamont Wilson (Sound Design), Debra Buonaccorsi (Composer), Tom Carman (Composer), and Austin Byrd (Set Design).

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