Broadway Will Dim Lights Tomorrow in Memory of Playwright, Director and Actor Sam Shepard

The Broadway community mourns the loss of celebrated playwright, actor and novelist Sam Shepard, who, as BroadwayWorld sadly reported yesterday, passed away on Thursday, July 27th at age 73. The marquees of Broadway theatres in New York will be dimmed in his memory on Wednesday, August 2nd, at exactly 7:45pm for one minute.

On Broadway, Sam Shepard debuted with his contribution to the musical revue Oh! Calcutta! (1969) followed by Operation Sidewinder (1970), a revival of Oh! Calcutta! (1976), Buried Child (1996), True West (2000), and Fool for Love (2015). He received Tony Award®nominations in 2000 for True West and 1996 for Buried Child, for which he also received the Pulitzer Prize.

"Sam Shepard was a prolific storyteller who created provocative, thoughtful, and exciting work for Broadway, off-Broadway, and film. His original voice was a definite draw for audiences and had an undeniable influence on other artists," said Charlotte St. Martin, President of the Broadway League. "He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues."

Beyond his Tony Award nominations and additional Pulitzer Prize nominations for True West and Fool For Love, MR. Shepard was the recipient of many distinguished honors including induction into the Theater Hall of Fame and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He was awarded The PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award as a master American dramatist in 2009.

His screenwriting credits include Zabriskie Point; Paris, Texas; and Fool for Love; he wrote and directed the films Far North and Silent Tongue. His first novel "The One Inside" was published in February of 2017.

MR. Shepard appeared in numerous films, including The Right Stuff (Academy Award nomination, Best Actor in a Supporting Role), Fool for Love, Crimes of the Heart, Baby Boom, Steel Magnolias, Bright Angel, The Notebook, Black Hawk Down, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Brothers, Safe House, and August: Osage County among many others. In 1999 he received Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations for his performance in the TV movie "Dash and Lilly." Most recently MR. Shepard appeared in The Netflix original series "Bloodline."

He is survived by his children, Jesse, Hannah, and Walker and his sisters, Sandy and RoxAnne Rogers.

Photo Credit: Gregory Costanzo