Introduction


Sam Shepard
In his four-decade career as a writer, Sam Shepard has woven tales of the American West and plumbed the darkest depths of the human psyche. Whether depicting criminal lowlifes in his play Simpatico or the volatile relationship of two lovers in Fool for Love, Shepard does not shy away from depicting the ugly side of human behavior. One of the hallmarks of Shepard’s work is his unique approach to dialogue. Characters often speak in elliptical, circuitous patterns, and he is not afraid to let them wax poetic. Shepard, whose playwriting was nurtured by a variety of theater artists, remains committed to teaching and working with the next generation of playwrights.

Essential Facts

  1. Shepard has also found success as an actor. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role as Chuck Yeager in 1983’s The Right Stuff.
  2. Shepard was featured as a musician on longtime-friend Patti Smith’s 2007 album, Twelve.
  3. One of Shepard’s few film efforts as a writer-director was 1994’s Silent Tongue, which featured one of the last performances of actor River Phoenix.
  4. Shepard’s two decade-old play True West finally made it to Broadway in 2000. The two lead roles were both played by John C. Reilly and Phillip Seymour Hoffman.
  5. Since the early 1980s, Shepard has been romantically involved with actress Jessica Lange. They have two children together.