For nearly five decades, Sam Shepard's plays have earned him fabulous praise and enormous acclaim. Filled with wry dark humor, unparalleled imagination, unforgettable characters, and exquisitely crafted storytelling, they have collectively defined his iconic style. In these fifteen one-acts, we see him at his best, displaying his trademark ability to identify the one telling, brilliant detail and to portray human relationships, love, and lust with rare authenticity. In "Ages of the Moon," which premiered in the U.S. at the Atlantic Theater Company in January 2010, two old friends sit on a porch as they wait to witness the eclipse of the moon. In "Short Life of Trouble," Shepard spins out a spirited dialogue between himself and Bob Dylan, based on a real incident. In "Evanescence," a beautiful woman delivers a powerful monologue about life and relationships, action and inaction. And in twelve early favorites, ranging from the science-fiction play, "The Unseen Hand" to "Cowboys #2," the story of two men acting the part of cowboys at a construction site, Shepard continually renews and redefines the mythology of America. These fifteen furiously energetic plays confirm Shepard's status as our most audacious living playwright, unafraid to set genres and archetypes spinning with results that are utterly mesmerizing.
Filled with wry, dark humor, unparalleled imagination, unforgettable characters, and exquisitely crafted storytelling, Sam Shepard's plays have earned him enormous acclaim over the past five decades. In these fifteen one-acts, we see him at his best, displaying his trademark ability to portray human relationships, love, and lust with rare authenticity. These fifteen furiously energetic plays confirm Shepard's status as our most audacious living playwright, unafraid to set genres and archetypes spinning with results that are utterly mesmerizing. Included in this volume-
Ages of the Moon
Evanescence; Shakespeare in the Alley
Short Life of Trouble
The Unseen Hand
The Rock Garden
Chicago
Icarus's Mother
4H Club
Fourteen Hundred Thousand
Red Cross
Cowboys #2
Forensic & The Navigators
The Holy Ghostly
Back Bog Beast Bait
Killer's Head
Author Biography:
SAM SHEPARDwas the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of more than fifty-five plays, three story collections, and two works of prose fiction. As an actor, he appeared in more than sixty films, and received an Oscar nomination in 1984 forThe Right Stuff.He was a finalist for the W. H. Smith Literary Award for his story collectionGreat Dream of Heaven.In 2012 he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Trinity College, Dublin. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, received the Gold Medal for Drama from the Academy, and was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. He died in 2017.