Jerry Ward remembers watching his wife, Mary, sketch cartoons for a theater-based children’s book that a colleague was writing.
Mary was a visual arts teacher at The Capitol Encore Academy, a public charter school that integrates the arts into its academic curriculum.
Brian Adam Kline teaches theater and film at the school in downtown Fayetteville.
In 2019, Kline was working on his book about a child who was performing in her first play. Kline, a Fayetteville transplant from West Virginia with a background in acting, asked Mary if she would illustrate his book.
Both teachers had dreamed of publishing a book, and they decided to chase that dream together.
Mary had never drawn illustrations for a book, her husband says, but she loved art and was eager to help her friend.
“She had art experience and loved to create,” says Jerry Ward.
Mary loved to paint portraits and often led public “paint night” art classes. She jumped at the chance when Kline asked for her help.
“She was excited to do it and considered it an honor to help,” says Jerry, adding that Mary was busy writing a book of her own.
“She figured helping Brian was a good way to get her foot in the door” as a writer, Jerry says.
Jerry watched in amazement as Mary sketched preliminary drawings.
“I could never do that,” Jerry says. “Not me.”
Mary sat at a table with the colored pencils she favored, bringing her inspiration to life on paper. After making a few sketches, Mary picked one up to show it to Jerry.
“Oh, that’s cute,” Jerry says he told her.
“Yeah, I’m gonna use it in the book,” Mary said with a grin.
Mary would breeze through one sketch and start another one.
“It seemed so effortless for her,” Jerry says.
But Mary would never get to see the book finished.
COVID strikes
In the fall of 2020, both Mary and Jerry Ward contracted COVID-19.
“She was a little mad that I had it,” Jerry remembers. “She wanted me to baby her. Which I did.”
Jerry said because of a precondition, COVID hit Mary hard and she became bedridden.
After two weeks of quarantine, Jerry’s health got better while Mary’s rapidly declined. Mary was admitted to the hospital on a Sunday.
Early Friday morning of the same week, Jerry noticed that Mary seemed out of it.
“We found out she had low oxygen in her blood,” says Jerry.
The medical staff got her oxygen up, but Mary never recovered.
After her death, Jerry Ward faced the mournful task of sorting through his wife’s belongings. He discovered the cartoon sketches among them.
“I thought she had already given them all to Brian,” he says.
Ward thought that Kline could still use them and wanted him to have the sketches.
“If Brian needed any more sketches, this was perfect. I also wanted her work to carry on as the artist who sketched the characters.”
‘Please finish this book’
Brian Adam Kline was devastated after the death of his friend and co-worker. He wasn’t sure how to finish the book without Mary. Then he received a call from Jerry Ward, who gave the sketches he found to Kline and said, “Please finish this book.”
“That’s about the time Camila came into my life,” says Kline.
In 2021, Camila Vasconcelos, a visual arts teacher from Brazil, was in Fayetteville on a teacher exchange program. Vasconcelos had filled Mary’s job at Capitol Encore and was here to learn about the American education system and culture.
Kline asked Vasconcelos if she would help finish the book.
“I saw this as an opportunity to grow,” says Vasconcelos. “I was excited to work with Brian.”
Vasconcelos dived into Mary’s illustrations. She and Kline discussed how they wanted the characters to represent different races, ethnicities and age groups. The characters in the book are based on Mary’s sketches but have been edited to relate to people at their school.
“We wanted to bring diversity to the book,” says Kline, who adds that he based the story on real-life experiences of the students in his classes.
The play’s the thing
The book, “Sandy Kay Stars in a Play!” revolves around a third-grader named Sandy Kay. Kline says she is named after his mother, who encouraged him to write the book.
Sandy wants to try out for a school play. She learns that she got the part, and that’s when her adventures in theater begin. On her way to opening night, she learns about many aspects of putting on a show, including acting, costuming, hair and makeup styling, lights, sound, and puppetry.
Also on her journey, Sandy learns about herself and builds the confidence she needs to conquer stage fright.
The 46-page book is ideal for children in kindergarten through sixth grade, the author says.
“The book’s really for everyone,” says Kline. “It describes all elements in theater, the role, the job. It covers being afraid of going out onstage and overcoming that.”
Kline pays tribute to his dear friend Mary in the dedication and a background story at the end of the book.
The book is on sale on Amazon, and Kline says it’s easy to find.
“Just go to Amazon and type, ‘Sandy Kay Stars in a Play.” You’ll find us.”
Jerry Ward hopes the book brings Kline and Vasconcelos lots of success. He’s sure that Mary Ward would be proud.
