Please join us on Friday, May 29, 2026, for the next event in this year’s series of Hickory Arts house concerts, featuring a live script reading of the pilot episode of a new horror series called Take Us Home, by actor, song- and screenwriter Brian Saavedra. The reading will be performed on stage by Brian Saavedra, Cory Bragg, Darby David, Giuseppe DiGiovanni, Jasper Hopkinson, Kayla Husted, Stevie Roland, Ray Taylor, and Bryson Williams.
Tickets (donations) are $20 and can be purchased at https://square.link/u/YpGtz9mC. Only 30 seats are available, and tickets will not be sold at the door.
Doors open at 7:30 pm for an “Eat & Greet” with the artists. The performance begins at 8 pm.
Brian Saavedra (Ellis) is the writer and creator of Take Us Home. He is a film actor with a passion for performing, entertainment, and creativity. Brian has worked on independent projects while studying acting, music production, piano, screenwriting, and songwriting as part of the Artist Development program at Hickory Arts with Artistic Director Jeff Hartman. He is adept at bringing characters to life on the page and in performance, and is always striving to improve, become the best version of himself, and achieve the greatest results in his craft.
Cory Bragg (Narrator) is excited to be part of the Take Us Home project. Cory has been seen on stage performing up and down the Atlantic, from the interactive horror attraction Nightmare in Vermont to being strapped to a chair in Exit, Pursued by Bear at Hickory Theatre. Cory has also entered the world of stage directing, making his directorial debut with The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, also at Hickory Theatre. In addition, Cory has a passion for storytelling and scary topics, and co-hosts the podcast Scare and Tell.
Darby David (Diana) is an actress who has loved performing since she was a child. She began studying acting with Artistic Director Jeff Hartman this past summer and has loved every minute of it. She was most recently seen in Lunch Box, where she had the opportunity to work with an NFL player and meet many wonderful people. Outside of acting, Darby enjoys writing, skateboarding, and surfing.
Giuseppe DiGiovanni (Matt) is excited to at last bring his work to the screen. He has performed in various stage productions in the past, including both musicals and straight plays, with every show being just as fulfilling an experience as the last. This is his first screenplay production, and he could not be more excited for the opportunity to expand his horizons.
Jasper Hopkinson (Grady) is a Hickory local and a full-time student at Catawba Valley Community College. His proudest work has been in his efforts to strengthen and build community, including tutoring adult ESL students with Centro Latino, organizing and planning events with the Hickory NAACP, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. He also enjoys acting for the stage, performing instrumental music, and creative writing in both English and Spanish.
Kayla Husted (Rita) has been drawn to the performing arts since childhood, singing since age four and acting since the third grade. In this short series, she portrays Rita. When she is not performing, Kayla enjoys writing and hopes to follow her dream of becoming both an actress and a singer.
Stevie Roland (Sophia) has been performing since the age of 11. With a strong passion for storytelling, she is dedicated to bringing authenticity to every role. Stevie has studied voice at Hickory Arts.
Ray Taylor (Vicky) has always been interested in musical theatre and acting. She is looking forward to portraying Vicky in Take Us Home.
Bryson Williams (Josh) has always enjoyed acting in school projects through the years and is excited about bringing Josh to life in the Take Us Home project.
Hickory Arts House Concerts are very intimate events. Volunteers to provide food (potluck) for the performers and guests are strongly encouraged. All proceeds go directly to the artists. No membership or personal invitation is required.
Hickory Arts is the “un-studio”—a simple, custom, specialized, non-event-driven teaching and production studio dedicated to coaching performance artists from point A to point B.
The studio is located at 720 Second Avenue SW, Hickory, NC 28602, across from Hickory Optimist Park.
For more information about tickets and Hickory Arts, please explore the website or call 828-270-9801.
“Home is where the art is.” — hickoryarts.com | Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube! @hickoryarts #houseconcertseries