Why Home is Where the Art is

Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find that what you're looking for has been here the whole time. Taylor Swift, You Belong With Me One of my goals, when we founded Hickory Arts, was to raise awareness and help folks in the arts community discover and find value in who and what’s ...

Reflecting on Bright Star

As our “Bright Star” fades, the director and I watch the sunrise on “The Mystery of Irma Vep.” #brightstar #irmavep — Jeff Hartman, Hickory Arts Artistic Director, September 22, 2019 Maggie Smith once said, “I like the ephemeral thing about theatre, every performance is like a ghost - it’s there and then it’s gone.” I ...

30 Years in the Making

High School Theatre Alumni Reunite to Tackle Steve Martin & Edie Brickell’s Bright Star NEWTON - From the suburbs of New Jersey to the foothills of North Carolina, a powerhouse pair of creative minds began their theatrical journey on the heels of Hurricane Hugo as “Image Players” at West Caldwell High School in 1989. Today, ...

Good signs of aging…

Jason Hatfield and Jeff Hartman date back to their days as Image Players, their high school drama club. They’ve been close friends for over 20 years. Jason is a graduate of Western Carolina University with degrees in Theatre and Public Relations. His professional acting credits are extensive, including roles in Robert Redford’s “The Conspirator” and ...