Broadway to Dim Lights in Memory of Sam Shepard
(© Gregory Costanzo)
Broadway will dim its marquee lights for playwright, actor, and novelist Sam Shepard, who passed away on July 27 at age 73 due to complications from ALS. The marquees of Broadway theaters in New York will be dimmed in his memory on August 2 at exactly 7:45pm for one minute.
"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, in a statement. "He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues."
On Broadway, 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. As an actor, Shepard's film credits included The Right Stuff (for which he received an Academy Award nomination), Steel Magnolias, Black Hawk Down, and August: Osage County, among many others.
He is survived by his children — Jesse, Hannah, and Walker — and his sisters, Sandy and Roxanne Rogers.
