Theater nonprofit leader Sarah Hofaker’s 11 Good Things

Sarah Hofaker has been involved in theater and its creation for the last 20 years as a stage and screen actor, director, singer and writer. She has recently started a nonprofit, FTS Theatre Co., here in Atlanta. Her ultimate goals in life are to champion the arts, uplift her community and open the door for other creators to share their passion with the world.

Here in no particular order are her 11 good things.

1. Atlanta’s local arts community. As an Atlanta transplant, I have come to deeply respect and appreciate the cultural diversity of the city’s art community. From local theaters like CenterStage North and Pumphouse Players to the amazing showcases put on by Beats + Ballads or the visual marvels housed at the High Museum and Center for Puppetry Arts, there is an endless supply of art to be found in the city.

2. Physical media. With a VHS collection that’s nearing 500 tapes, I am a huge proponent of physical media. I also collect DVDs and have recently begun to add vinyl, CDs and tapes to the mix, much to my husband’s mild chagrin.

3. Nello Vintage. As a big fan of sustainability and supporting local business, it really doesn’t get much better than Nello Vintage, with its focus on style and freedom of expression. If you want to shop incredible vintage while listening to Corinne Bailey Rae and being greeted by an adorable rescue dog named Chi (so named for Chi-town, Illinois), then quit wasting your time elsewhere. And big thanks to Chanelle Harris for selling me one of the most gorgeous dresses I’ve ever put on my body.

4. The Laborer statue in downtown Alpharetta. Few sculptures have made me wax poetic like Mike Wsol’s The Laborer. This statue in the park in downtown Alpharetta looks unassuming at first. Upon closer inspection, however, you’ll discover that you can enter the statue through the figure’s leg. A small seat allows you to marvel at the interior, which has been drilled through and offers “a space to meditate on intersections between work and dreams.”

5. Food. Need I say more?

6. Friendship. I can never take my friends for granted. Having been through more than most people can stomach, a group of people as strong and loyal as mine is a blessing every day. Take my advice, and make sure your friends know how much they mean to you. 

7. Whimsy. Give me whimsy over being an adult any day. Dress like a fairy and picnic on the Beltline. Skip instead of walk. Sing in public. Anyone feel like LARPing?

8. Animation. These live-action adaptations will be the death of me. Leave animated work alone — it’s perfect the way it is.

9. Virgos. I’m wildly biased on this as the bulk of my family is made up of Virgos, and, yes, we are all always right.

10. Cafés. Take me to the Read Shop; take me to Urban Grind; take me to White Windmill; take me to Saint Germain; take me to Café Comma; take me to Café Lucia; take me to Buene Gente Cuban Bakery; take me to Amistad Coffee — I don’t have a problem.

11. Public libraries. Librarians deserve every award, and public libraries are the bee’s knees — affordable printing, free books, free internet access. Heck, Cobb County libraries offer public access to 3D printers as well as health and wellness resources. Truly incredible spaces.