Every so often, someone comes along and completely changes your life.

Ted Kistler was one of those people in my life.

I had been a theater critic for the four years I spent as an undergrad at Western Michigan University, and I always looked forward to going to the New Vic Theatre because the shows were always full of energy and vitality and creativity. Never did I dream, however, that I would set foot on its stage. Not until I was conned into doing an audition there for a story one of my entertainment writers was working on: We went to the New Vic for resident company auditions to interview hopefuls and wound up being put in the spotlight ourselves.

My only experience had been in junior high and high school theater, so I didn't take it seriously. I did a cold reading of a comic monologue and sang "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from Barbra Streisand's YENTL because that was the only sheet music I had on hand. To me, it was a joke. But Ted did not laugh, He came to my office the next day and asked, "How serious was your audition yesterday?" I laughed and said, "How seriously did you take it?" Seriously enough that he wanted me to come back and read for THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, a mammoth, seven-and-a-half-hour epic the New Vic was doing in a few months. I tried to turn him down, but he was persistent. Finally, I agreed to come to the auditions: five solid hours of reading with wonderful actors like Arnold Johnston, Cathie Higgins Weir, Jim Bowers, James Furney, Jennifer Furney, Kim Gheen, Conny Loftus, Kristin Tyrrell and so many others. I hadn't a clue what I was doing and I was certain I was wasting my time and everyone else's. But then Jim Bowers called to say I was cast in the show -- and in a major role. Was this some kind of cruel joke? It was not. Ted insisted, "You're PERFECT for this." Insanity!

No one had ever cast me in a drama before; I had minimal theater training, and even most of that was in musical comedy or farce. But Ted and his incredible wife Mary Jo and the rest of the New Vic troupe made me feel like I was visiting royalty, some kind of "special guest star." I could never have asked for more supportive, encouraging people. No one laughed when I didn't know what "blocking" was. No one groaned when I blew my lines or missed my cues. Because of Ted's unassailable confidence in me, I felt compelled to keep going in that show, even when I was having panic attacks in private (and in public, I confess) and when friends were warning me, "You're going to make a fool of yourself -- you're out of your league."

Thanks to Ted and the New Vic family, I learned to trust myself and shut out the "well-meaning" friends. I've done dozens of shows since then, and I would never have done any of them if it had not been for Ted Kistler and his incredible mentoring. I had the privilege of doing A CHRISTMAS CAROL, SOME ENCHANTED MUSICALS and DRACULA on the New Vic stage in later years, and it always felt so wonderful to be back there.

Ted, your inspiration, humor, dedication and astonishing kindness and generosity will be with me until I take my final bow. As I write this, my heart is both shattered by the loss and yet warmed by the memories.

Bless you, Ted, for all you did for so many.

James Sanford