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Tributes

This production honors the cooks, servers, porters, bartenders, hosts, dishwashers, and restaurant workers whose invisible precision makes a room come alive. We see the work behind the service.

Performers

Sydney Adamu

*

Mrs. Lovett

Carmen Berzatto

*

Sweeney Todd

Jess Brennan

*

Johanna

Marcus Brooks

*

Tobias

Claire Dunlap

*

Beggar Woman

Neil Fak

*

Beadle Bamford

Richard Jerimovich

*

Jonas Fogg

James 'Cicero' Kalinowski

*

Judge Turpin

Tina Marrero

*

Adofo Pirelli

Luca Moretti

*

Anthony Hope

Setting

Victorian London, around 1846

There will be one 15-minute intermission.

Songs & Scenes

No items found.

Production Staff

No items found.

Venue Staff

School Administration Staff

No items found.

Musicians

Conductor / Keyboard I

Dr. Lena Voss

Associate Conductor / Keyboard II

Miriam Cho

Violin I / Concertmaster

Theo Ramirez

Violin II

Safiya Green

Viola

Naomi Feld

Cello

Peter Ahn

Double Bass

Jules Mercer

Flute / Piccolo

Clara Bennett

Clarinet / Bass Clarinet

André Lewis

Bassoon

Morgan Tate

French Horn

Helen Wu

Trumpet

Rafael Ortiz

Trombone

Samira Banks

Percussion

Eli Rosen

Harp

Maeve Donnelly

Chair

Elaine Foster

Vice Chair

Dr. Priya Desai

Treasurer

Malcolm Reeves

Secretary

Renata Cruz

Board Members

Julianne Barrett Camille Bennett Leonard Chen Simone Ellis Robert Foster Nadja Green David Hsu Rochelle King Marisol Ortega Jonathan Pierce Amara Reed Sameer Shah Nina Vale Dr. Nia Whitaker

Student Advisory Board

Credits

Lighting equipment from PRG Lighting, sound equipment from Sound Associates, rehearsed at The Public Theater’s Rehearsal Studios. Developed as part of Irons in the Fire at Fault Line Theatre in New York City.

Special Thanks

*Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre and Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.

“Actors’ Equity Association (“Equity”), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 actors and stage managers, Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors’ Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an International organization of performing arts unions. www.actorsequity.org

United Scenic Artists ● Local USA 829 of the I.A.T.S.E represents the Designers & Scenic Artists for the American Theatre

ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers (IATSE Local 18032), represents the Press Agents, Company Managers, and Theatre Managers employed on this production.

A Message from the Director

Welcome to Fleet Street—by way of Chicago.

At the center of *Sweeney Todd* is a city that consumes people. It turns labor into appetite, grief into commerce and desperation into entertainment. That idea felt unnervingly close to the world of the modern kitchen: a place of ritual, pressure, precision and care, where a family can be forged over heat and steel—and where the cost of perfection can become impossible to ignore.

Our production begins in a kitchen recognizable to us and slowly allows another century to bleed through. Stainless steel becomes tarnished silver. Order tickets become accusations. A service counter becomes Mrs. Lovett’s shop. Yet this is not a story about food or knives so much as what happens when pain is fed rather than faced.

Sondheim and Wheeler created something ferocious, funny and profoundly human. Beneath its machinery is a warning: no system, city or person can swallow suffering forever without being changed by it.

Thank you for joining us at the table. We are honored to serve you this tale.

— Elena Marrow, Director

Meet the Cast

Sydney Adamu

*

Mrs. Lovett

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Sydney is a chef, restaurateur, and first-time Calder company member. Her previous projects include Sheridan Road, an independent catering venture and the ongoing experiment known as The Bear. She is thrilled to explore Mrs. Lovett’s entrepreneurial instincts, if not her sourcing practices. For Dad.

Carmen Berzatto

*

Sweeney Todd

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Carmy makes his Calder Theatre debut in Sweeney Todd. A Chicago native, he trained in some of the world’s most exacting kitchens before returning home to open his renowned restaurant, The Bear. He brings discipline, intensity and an uncomfortable familiarity with sharp instruments to the role. Carmy dedicates this performance to Michael.

Jess Brennan

*

Johanna

(

Brennan

)

(

Brennan

)

Pronouns:

Jess makes her Calder debut as Johanna. A hospitality professional known for her calm under pressure, she has spent most of her career making complicated rooms run smoothly without calling attention to herself. She thanks the company for giving Johanna equal measures of hope, intelligence and agency.

Marcus Brooks

*

Tobias

(

Ragg

)

(

Ragg

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Marcus is a pastry chef and lifelong student of beautiful, difficult things. His work has taken him from Chicago to Copenhagen and back again. He finds in Tobias a familiar mixture of loyalty, curiosity and quiet courage. He dedicates his performance to his mother.

Claire Dunlap

*

Beggar Woman

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Claire is an emergency physician and Chicago native. She returns to the stage after appearances in school productions and one memorable talent-show duet. She is grateful to the company for its care, humor and remarkable ability to remain calm while everything is on fire.

Neil Fak

*

Beadle Bamford

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Neil is a repairman, performer, collector of useful information and friend of the Berzatto family. His theatrical experience includes parties, magic, improvised speeches and several events he was not technically invited to attend. He thanks Ted Fak and every member of the Fak family except Francie.

Richard Jerimovich

*

Jonas Fogg

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Richie is the maître d’ of The Bear and an enthusiastic student of hospitality, standards and correct fork placement. His previous performance experience is extensive, mostly involuntary and rarely ticketed. He approaches Jonas Fogg as a man who mistakes control for order. He dedicates this performance to Eva.

James 'Cicero' Kalinowski

*

Judge Turpin

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Cicero is an investor, civic enthusiast, and longtime supporter of ambitious ventures with incomplete business plans. Sweeney Todd marks his first stage appearance since a grade-school production he declines to name. He thanks the Calder for the excellent seats and expects everyone to honor the terms of their agreements.

Tina Marrero

*

Adofo Pirelli

(

)

(

)

Pronouns:

she/her

Tina is a chef, mother and proud Chicagoan. She studied culinary arts at Kendall College after proving that reinvention has no age limit. Pirelli allows her to combine command, comedy and a very healthy amount of swagger. She dedicates this performance to Louie.

Luca Moretti

*

Anthony Hope

(

blah

)

(

blah

)

Pronouns:

he/him

Luca is a pastry chef whose work has taken him from London to Copenhagen and Chicago. His performance as Anthony combines patience, optimism and the radical belief that people can still choose a different life. He thanks Marcus for reminding him that getting better can also be fun.

Meet the Team

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2021 National Touring Cast

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Petterino’s

A Chicago theatre-night tradition

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150 North Dearborn Street

For 25 years, Petterino’s has welcomed audiences in the heart of the Loop and Theatre District. Its timeless dining room, warm hospitality and Italian-American menu make it a natural destination before the overture—or for a leisurely supper after the final bow.

Petterino’s

A Chicago theatre-night tradition

|

150 North Dearborn Street

For 25 years, Petterino’s has welcomed audiences in the heart of the Loop and Theatre District. Its timeless dining room, warm hospitality and Italian-American menu make it a natural destination before the overture—or for a leisurely supper after the final bow.

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The Gage

Refined, rustic and right on Michigan Avenue

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24 South Michigan Avenue

Set in the historic Gage Group buildings across from Millennium Park, The Gage pairs a lively pub atmosphere with award-winning libations and polished hospitality. Settle in for a pre-curtain cocktail, a perfectly poured pint or one last toast after the final bow.

The Gage

Refined, rustic and right on Michigan Avenue

|

24 South Michigan Avenue

Set in the historic Gage Group buildings across from Millennium Park, The Gage pairs a lively pub atmosphere with award-winning libations and polished hospitality. Settle in for a pre-curtain cocktail, a perfectly poured pint or one last toast after the final bow.

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Three Dots and a Dash

Trade Fleet Street fog for a tropical escape

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435 North Clark Street — enter through the alley

Descend into this River North hideaway for rum-forward cocktails, dramatic garnishes and transportive tropical atmosphere. Three Dots and a Dash is the playful post-show choice when the night calls for something colorful, celebratory and a little unexpected. Guests must be 21 or older.

Three Dots and a Dash

Trade Fleet Street fog for a tropical escape

|

435 North Clark Street — enter through the alley

Descend into this River North hideaway for rum-forward cocktails, dramatic garnishes and transportive tropical atmosphere. Three Dots and a Dash is the playful post-show choice when the night calls for something colorful, celebratory and a little unexpected. Guests must be 21 or older.

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BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL To Release New Cast Album August 28

Emily Wyrwa

August 27, 2026

Hold us! Bat Boy: The Musical will release a new cast album tomorrow, Aug. 28, based on the celebrated gala production last fall at New York City Center. The new album features several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians.

Bat Boy features a pulsing pop-rock score by Tony Award nominee Laurence O’Keefe and book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming. This new album shines fresh light on a beloved score with several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians by Laurence O’Keefe and Ben Green, delving deeper into the musical’s themes of identity, acceptance, and the healing power of love.

The cast features Kerry Butler (Meredith Parker), Gabi Carrubba (Shelley Parker), Andrew Durand (Rick Taylor), Mary Faber (Lorraine), Alan H Green (Bud), Evan Harrington (Ned), John-Michael Lyles (Ron Taylor/Rancher), Tom McGowan (Sheriff Reynolds), Jacob Ming-Trent (Reverend Hightower), Alex Newell (The God Pan), Olivia Puckett (Ruthie Taylor/Rancher), Marissa Rosen (Daisy), Christopher Sieber (Dr. Parker), Taylor Trensch (Bat Boy), Colin Trudell (Charley), Rema Webb (Maggie), and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Mrs. Taylor), in addition to August Bagg, Will Mann, and Stephanie Reuning-Scherer.

Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to Deer in the Headlights performed by Gabi Carrubba, Taylor Trensch, Andrew Durand, John-Michael Lyles, Olivia Puckett, Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming, and Laurence O’Keefe.

After being discovered in a cave and adopted by a local West Virginia family, Bat Boy, also known as Edgar, wants nothing more than to be accepted by his new community and works hard to appeal to their “Christian Charity.” But will his insatiable bloodlust be his undoing? Or will the bloodlust of a town searching for an easy scapegoat beat him to the punch?

Bat Boy releases on streaming platforms tomorrow, Aug. 28. To pre-save the album, visit here.

BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL To Release New Cast Album August 28

Emily Wyrwa

August 27, 2026

Hold us! Bat Boy: The Musical will release a new cast album tomorrow, Aug. 28, based on the celebrated gala production last fall at New York City Center. The new album features several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians.

Bat Boy features a pulsing pop-rock score by Tony Award nominee Laurence O’Keefe and book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming. This new album shines fresh light on a beloved score with several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians by Laurence O’Keefe and Ben Green, delving deeper into the musical’s themes of identity, acceptance, and the healing power of love.

The cast features Kerry Butler (Meredith Parker), Gabi Carrubba (Shelley Parker), Andrew Durand (Rick Taylor), Mary Faber (Lorraine), Alan H Green (Bud), Evan Harrington (Ned), John-Michael Lyles (Ron Taylor/Rancher), Tom McGowan (Sheriff Reynolds), Jacob Ming-Trent (Reverend Hightower), Alex Newell (The God Pan), Olivia Puckett (Ruthie Taylor/Rancher), Marissa Rosen (Daisy), Christopher Sieber (Dr. Parker), Taylor Trensch (Bat Boy), Colin Trudell (Charley), Rema Webb (Maggie), and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Mrs. Taylor), in addition to August Bagg, Will Mann, and Stephanie Reuning-Scherer.

Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to Deer in the Headlights performed by Gabi Carrubba, Taylor Trensch, Andrew Durand, John-Michael Lyles, Olivia Puckett, Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming, and Laurence O’Keefe.

After being discovered in a cave and adopted by a local West Virginia family, Bat Boy, also known as Edgar, wants nothing more than to be accepted by his new community and works hard to appeal to their “Christian Charity.” But will his insatiable bloodlust be his undoing? Or will the bloodlust of a town searching for an easy scapegoat beat him to the punch?

Bat Boy releases on streaming platforms tomorrow, Aug. 28. To pre-save the album, visit here.

BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL To Release New Cast Album August 28

Emily Wyrwa

August 27, 2026

Hold us! Bat Boy: The Musical will release a new cast album tomorrow, Aug. 28, based on the celebrated gala production last fall at New York City Center. The new album features several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians.

Bat Boy features a pulsing pop-rock score by Tony Award nominee Laurence O’Keefe and book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming. This new album shines fresh light on a beloved score with several brand-new songs and revised book by the original creators, and expanded orchestrations for twelve musicians by Laurence O’Keefe and Ben Green, delving deeper into the musical’s themes of identity, acceptance, and the healing power of love.

The cast features Kerry Butler (Meredith Parker), Gabi Carrubba (Shelley Parker), Andrew Durand (Rick Taylor), Mary Faber (Lorraine), Alan H Green (Bud), Evan Harrington (Ned), John-Michael Lyles (Ron Taylor/Rancher), Tom McGowan (Sheriff Reynolds), Jacob Ming-Trent (Reverend Hightower), Alex Newell (The God Pan), Olivia Puckett (Ruthie Taylor/Rancher), Marissa Rosen (Daisy), Christopher Sieber (Dr. Parker), Taylor Trensch (Bat Boy), Colin Trudell (Charley), Rema Webb (Maggie), and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Mrs. Taylor), in addition to August Bagg, Will Mann, and Stephanie Reuning-Scherer.

Theatrely has an exclusive first listen to Deer in the Headlights performed by Gabi Carrubba, Taylor Trensch, Andrew Durand, John-Michael Lyles, Olivia Puckett, Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming, and Laurence O’Keefe.

After being discovered in a cave and adopted by a local West Virginia family, Bat Boy, also known as Edgar, wants nothing more than to be accepted by his new community and works hard to appeal to their “Christian Charity.” But will his insatiable bloodlust be his undoing? Or will the bloodlust of a town searching for an easy scapegoat beat him to the punch?

Bat Boy releases on streaming platforms tomorrow, Aug. 28. To pre-save the album, visit here.

Theatrely News

EXCLUSIVE: Watch A Clip From THEATER CAMP Starring Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Molly Gordon

Theatrely News

READ: An Excerpt From Sean Hayes Debut YA Novel TIME OUT

Theatrely News

"Reframing the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Stage Manager’s Eyes"

EXCLUSIVE: Watch A Clip From THEATER CAMP Starring Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, and Molly Gordon

By: Maia Penzer

14 July 2023

Finally, summer has arrived, which can only mean one thing: it's time for camp! Theater Camp, that is. Theatrely has a sneak peak at the new film which hits select theaters today.

The new original comedy starring Tony Award winner Ben Platt and Molly Gordon we guarantee will have you laughing non-stop. The AdirondACTS, a run-down theater camp in upstate New York, is attended by theater-loving children who must work hard to keep their beloved theater camp afloat after the founder, Joan, falls into a coma.

The film stars Ben Platt and Molly Gordon as Amos Klobuchar and Rebecca-Diane, respectively, as well as Noah Galvin as Glenn Wintrop, Jimmy Tatro as Troy Rubinsky, Patti Harrison as Caroline Krauss, Nathan Lee Graham as Clive DeWitt, Ayo Edebiri as Janet Walch, Owen Thiele as Gigi Charbonier, Caroline Aaron as Rita Cohen, Amy Sedaris as Joan Rubinsky, and Alan Kim as Alan Park.

Theater Camp was directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman and written by Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman & Ben Platt. Music is by James McAlister and Mark Sonnenblick. On January 21, 2023, Theater Camp had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

You can purchase tickets to the new film from our friends at Hollywood.com here.

‍

READ: An Excerpt From Sean Hayes Debut YA Novel TIME OUT

By: Kobi Kassal

29 May 2023

Actor Sean Hayes is what we in the biz call booked and blessed. On top of his Tony-nominated performance as Oscar Levant in Good Night, Oscar, Hayes has partnered with Todd Milliner and Carlyn Greenwald for the release of their new YA novel Time Out.

Heralded by many as Heartstopper meets Friday Night Lights, Time Out follows hometown basketball hero Barclay Elliot who decides to use a pep rally to come out to his school. When the response is not what he had hoped and the hostility continually growing, he turns to his best friend Amy who brings him to her voting rights group at school. There he finds Christopher and… you will just have to grab a copy and find out what happens next. Luckily for you, Time Out hits shelves on May 30 and to hold you over until then we have a special except from the book just for Theatrely:

The good thing about not being on the team the past two weeks has been that I’ve had time to start picking up shifts again at Beau’s diner and save up a little for college now that my scholarship dreams are over.

The bad part is it’s the perfect place to see how my actions at the pep rally have rotted the townspeople’s brains too.

During Amy’s very intense musical theater phase in middle school, her parents took her to New York City. And of course she came back home buzzing about Broadway and how beautiful the piss smell was and everything artsy people say about New York. But she also vividly described some diner she waited three hours to get into where the waitstaff would all perform songs for the customers as a way to practice for auditions. The regulars would have favorite staff members and stan them the way Amy stans all her emo musicians.

Working at Beau’s used to feel kind of like that, like I was part of a performance team I didn’t know I signed up for. The job started off pretty basic over the summer—I wanted to save up for basketball supplies, and Amy worked there and said it was boring ever since her e-girl coworker friend graduated. But I couldn’t get through a single lunch rush table without someone calling me over and wanting the inside scoop on the Wildcats and how we were preparing for the home opener, wanting me to sign an article in the paper or take a photo. Every friendly face just made the resolve grow inside me. People love and support the Wildcats; they would do the same for me.

Yeah, right.

Now just like school, customers have been glaring at me, making comments about letting everyone down, about being selfish, about my actions being “unfortunate,” and the tips have been essentially nonexistent. The Wildcats have been obliterated in half their games since I quit, carrying a 2–3 record when last year we were 5–0, and the comments make my feet feel like lead weights I have to drag through every shift.

Today is no different. It’s Thursday, the usual dinner rush at Beau’s, and I try to stay focused on the stress of balancing seven milkshakes on one platter. A group of regulars, some construction workers, keep loudly wondering why I won’t come back to the team while I refuse proper eye contact.

One of the guys looks up at me as I drop the bill off. “So, what’s the deal? Does being queer keep ya from physically being able to play?”

They all snicker as they pull out crumpled bills. I stuff my hands into my pockets, holding my tongue.

When they leave, I hold my breath as I take their bill.

Sure enough, no tip.

“What the fuck?” I mutter under my breath.

“Language,” Amy says as she glides past me, imitating the way Richard says it to her every shift, and adds, “even though they are dicks.” At least Amy’s been ranting about it every free chance she gets. It was one thing when the student body was being shitty about me leaving the team, but the town being like this is even more infuriating. She doesn’t understand how these fully grown adults can really care that much about high school basketball and thinks they need a new fucking hobby. I finally agree with her.

[She’s wearing red lipstick to go with her raccoon-adjacent eyeliner as she rushes off to prepare milkshakes for a pack of middle schoolers. I catch her mid–death glare as all three of the kids rotate in their chairs, making the old things squeal. My anger fades a bit as I can’t help but chuckle; Amy’s pissed-off reaction to Richard telling her to smile more was said raccoon makeup, and her tolerance for buffoonery has been at a negative five to start and declining fast.

I rest my arms on the counter and try not to look as exhausted as I feel.

“Excuse me!” an old lady screeches, making me jump.

Amy covers up a laugh as I head to the old lady and her husband’s table. They’ve got finished plates, full waters. Not sure what the problem is. Or I do, which is worse.

“Yes?” I say trying to suppress my annoyance.

“Could you be bothered to serve us?”

Only five more hours on shift. I have a break in three minutes. I’ll be with Devin at Georgia Tech tomorrow. “I’m sorry, ma’am,” I say, so careful to keep my words even, but I can feel my hands balling into fists. “What would you—?”

And suddenly Amy swoops in, dropping two mugs of coffee down. “Sorry about that, you two,” she says, her voice extra high. “The machine was conking out on us, but it’s fine now.”

Once the coffee is down, she hooks onto a chunk of my shirt, steering us back to the bar.

“Thanks,” I mutter, embarrassed to have forgotten something so basic. Again.

“Just keep it together, man,” she says. “Maybe you’d be better off with that creepy night shift where all the truckers and serial killers come in.”

Honestly, at least the serial killers wouldn’t care about my jump shot.

It’s a few minutes before my break, but clearly I need it. “I’ll be in the back room.”

Right before I can head that way though, someone straight-up bursts into the diner and rushes over to me at the bar. It’s a middle-aged dad type, sunburned skin, beer belly, and stained T-shirt.

“Pickup order?” I ask.

“You should be ashamed,” he sneers at me. He has a really strong Southern accent, but it’s not Georgian. “Think you’re so high and mighty, that nothing’ll ever affect you? My kid’ll never go to college because of you and your lifestyle. Fuck you, Barclay Ell—”

And before this man can finish cursing my name, Pat of all people runs in, wide-eyed in humiliation. “Jesus, Dad, please don’t—”

I pin my gaze on him, remembering how he cowered on the bench as Ostrowski went off, how he didn’t even try to approach me. “Don’t even bother,” I snap.

I shove a to-go bag into his dad’s arms, relieved it’s prepaid, and storm off to the break room.]

Amy finds me head in my arms a minute or two later. I look up, rubbing my eyes. “Please spare me the pity.”

She snorts and hands me a milkshake. Mint chocolate chip. “Wouldn’t dare.” She takes a seat and rolls her shoulders and neck, cracks sounding through the tiny room. “Do you want a distraction or a shoulder to cry on?”

For more information, and to purchase your copy of Time Out, click here.

‍

Reframing the COVID-19 Pandemic Through a Stage Manager’s Eyes

By: Kaitlyn Riggio

5 July 2022

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a national emergency in the United States in March 2020, Broadway veteran stage manager Richard Hester watched the nation’s anxiety unfold on social media.

“No one knew what the virus was going to do,” Hester said. Some people were “losing their minds in abject terror, and then there were some people who were completely denying the whole thing.”

For Hester, the reaction at times felt like something out of a movie. “It was like the Black Plague,” he said. “Some people thought it was going to be like that Monty Python sketch: ‘bring out your dead, bring out your dead.’”

While Hester was also unsure about how the virus would unfold, he felt that his “job as a stage manager is to naturally defuse drama.” Hester brought this approach off the stage and onto social media in the wake of the pandemic.

“I just sort of synthesized everything that was happening into what I thought was a manageable bite, so people could get it,” Hester said. This became a daily exercise for a year. Over two years after the beginning of the pandemic, Hester’s accounts are compiled in the book, Hold Please: Stage Managing A Pandemic. Released earlier this year, the book documents the events of the past two years, filtering national events and day-to-day occurrences through a stage manager’s eyes and storytelling.

When Hester started this project, he had no intention of writing a book. He was originally writing every day because there was nothing else to do. “I am somebody who needs a job or needs a structure,” Hester said.

Surprised to find that people began expecting his daily posts, he began publishing his daily writing to his followers through a Substack newsletter. As his following grew, Hester had to get used to writing for an audience. “I started second guessing myself a lot of the time,” Hester said. “It just sort of put a weird pressure on it.”

Hester said he got especially nervous before publishing posts in which he wrote about more personal topics. For example, some of his posts focused on his experiences growing up in South Africa while others centered on potentially divisive topics, such as the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Despite some of this discomfort, Hester’s more personal posts were often the ones that got the most response. The experience offered him a writing lesson. “I stopped worrying about the audience and just wrote what I wanted to write about,” Hester said. “All of that pressure that I think as artists we put on ourselves, I got used to it.”

One of Hester’s favorite anecdotes featured in the book centers on a woman who dances in Washington Square Park on a canvas, rain or shine. He said he was “mesmerized by her,” which inspired him to write about her. “It was literally snowing and she was barefoot on her canvas dancing, and that seems to me just a spectacularly beautiful metaphor for everything that we all try and do, and she was living that to the fullest.”

During the creation of Hold Please, Hester got the unique opportunity to reflect in-depth on the first year of the pandemic by looking back at his accounts. He realized that post people would not remember the details of the lockdown; people would “remember it as a gap in their lives, but they weren’t going to remember it beat by beat.”

“Reliving each of those moments made me realize just how full a year it was, even though none of us were doing anything outside,” he adds. “We were all on our couches.” Readers will use the book as a way to relive moments of the pandemic’s first year “without having to wallow in the misery of it,” he hopes.

“I talk about the misery of it, but that’s not the focus of what I wrote... it was about hope and moving forward,” Hester said. “In these times when everything is so difficult, we will figure out a way to get through and we will move forward.”

‍

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