Experience American Theatre  Coming this weekend, August 13-15, ShepardFest 2021 will honor the life and work of playwright Sam Shepard. Named the “greatest American playwright of his generation” by New York Magazine, Shepard’s career spanned 50 years, earning him a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, an Academy Award nomination, and 10 Obie Awards — the most won by any writer or director. Enjoy a full theatrical production, screenings, staged readings, and academic panel discussions at Lewis Auditorium for this three-day festival. This week’s newsletter highlights some of the events to look forward to, plus food, drink, and activity recommendations in St. Johns County that we think Sam Shepard would have loved. Click the link below for the full schedule and ticket information. Check out the Festival Pass which grants access to all ShepardFest events for only $85.

THE LATE HENRY MOSS

Sean Penn and Nick Nolte as Ray & Earl for the premiere of The Late Henry Moss at Magic Theatre in San Francisco, California on November 14, 2000. The Late Henry Moss Premiered November 14, 2000, The Late Henry Moss opened at Magic Theatre in San Francisco with an all-star cast including Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Woody Harrelson, Jim Gammon, and Cheech Marin. Set in New Mexico, brothers Ray (Penn) and Earl (Nolte) return home to mark the passing of their estranged father, Henry. Over a bottle of bourbon and an old box of photos, tales of their childhood emerge. As they sift through Henry’s bizarre collection, the circumstances surrounding his death provoke violent suspicion. The play ran for three months as a benefit for the theatre and every performance was sold out. This would also be Shepard’s final culmination of father-son and brother versus brother conflict in his dramas. See a full production of The Late Henry Moss at Lewis Auditorium on Friday and Saturday, August 13 and 14 at 8 PM. Tickets are $15.

LOCAL MUSIC

Wild Shiners A local favorite, the Wild Shiners is a Florida-based quintet with banjo, fiddle, flat-pick guitar, upright bass, and drums to produce what they call “face-melting Americana.” Their original sound has Southern roots with influence from country blues, jazz, southern soul, bluegrass, and outlaw country. They’ll be playing at ShepardFest on Sunday, August 15 at 7:30 PM at Lewis Auditorium. Tickets are $20.

THROUGH SAM’S EYES

As a teenager, Sam Shepard worked as a ranchhand then went on to study animal husbandry at Mount San Antonio College. After a brief time in London, Sam and his family moved to a 20-acre ranch called Flying Y where he said his work underwent a revolution. His work reflected on American pop culture, then shifted to utilize American Wild West themes of ancestry, resistance to change, myth versus fact, individualism, and more to explore generational family dynamics that ultimately result in dissolved units. Shepard said this period of his work was instrumental in unpacking his relationship with his father, a teacher, farmer, and bomber pilot for the Air Force during World War II. Ranch life was an essential component of Shepard’s life and work. He spent his free time tending to his own horse farm in Midway, Kentucky where he passed from ALS complications in July 2017. Below are recommendations for food, drinks, and fun based on Shepard’s interests in bourbon, rock & roll, and farm life. We think Sam would have loved Hastings for its rich agricultural history and scenic drives.

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