HOW TO: SHEPARD

THE WORKSHOP

WITH IAIN SINCLAIR AND HARRY HAYNES

Shepard’s plays are a call to action for actors, a chance to wrestle with big emotions, bold choices, and the raw humanity of his stories. At 16th Street, we believe in empowering performers to meet these challenges head-on. How To: Sam Shepard will equip you with the skills to bring his electrifying worlds to life, whether you’re stepping into the boots of a cowboy, the heart of a lover, or the chaos of a broken family.

Through practical exercises, scene study, and ensemble work, you’ll develop the tools to inhabit Shepard’s larger-than-life characters and navigate his blend of realism, surrealism, and dark humor. This workshop will challenge you to take bold risks, embrace the mythic, and uncover the redemptive impulses at the core of his storytelling. This course is designed for actors and theatre practitioners eager to tackle his demanding roles.

Our How To: Shepard series begins with a dynamic seminar, offering an immersive introduction to Shepard’s groundbreaking dramaturgy, followed by a 4-day intensive workshop designed to unlock the physical, emotional, and poetic demands of his work for actors, directors, and theatre-makers.

*All workshop participants will receive a free ticket to the How To: Shepard, 'The Seminar'*

COURSE BREAKDOWN

July 31st - 1st & Aug 7th- 8th

  • Master Shepard’s poetic, jazz-inflected dialogue, finding the rhythm and emotional undercurrents that drive his characters.

  • Explore how Shepard’s stage directions - whether a cascade of toast in True West or the spectral presence of the Old Man in Fool for Love - require actors to merge physicality with psychological depth.

  • Tap into the raw passion and vulnerability of Shepard’s characters, from the destructive siblings of True West to the haunted lovers of Fool for Love.

  • Engage in hands-on exploration of iconic scenes from plays like Buried Child, Curse of the Starving Class, True West, Fool for Love and A Lie of the Mind, guided by 16th Street’s resident directors.

SAM SHEPARD

Sam Shepard exploded onto the New York theatre scene in the 1960s, carving out a legacy as one of America’s most vital playwrights. His works, performed and revered across the globe, pulse with raw energy, grappling with the myths and contradictions of the American spirit. Cowboys, rock stars, gangsters, wayward lovers, and fractured families collide in Shepard’s theatrical universe, where identity is both a haunting legacy and a battleground for transformation. His plays charged with mordant wit, visceral emotion, and redemptive yearning redefining what it means to embody the heroic, the broken, and the human on stage. 

From the rock-and-roll bravado of The Tooth of Crime to the primal family reckonings of Buried Child (Pulitzer Prize winner), True West, Curse of the Starving Class, Fool for Love, and A Lie of the Mind,  Shepard shatters the boundaries of conventional drama. His later works, like Simpatico and The Late Henry Moss, alongside the rarely discussed Man Fly (an unpublished take on Faust), reveal a playwright unafraid to wrestle with legacy, myth, and the inescapable bonds of blood.

  • APPLICATIONS CLOSED

    July 31st - 1st & Aug 7th- 8th

    10am - 5pm

  • $745 (inc. GST)

  • 16th Street’s intensives and courses provide actors with opportunities to hone their craft in celebrated techniques. We work alongside master teachers and highly trained acting specialists to deliver these unique courses to Melbourne.

    The workshop is ideal for graduates and professional actors over the age of 18.
    Apply Now. Limited Places.
    Early Offers Apply.

    If you book for the seminar and are then offered a place in the workshop, we will deduct the seminar fee from your invoice.

  • FAQ’s and policy information

DETAILS

SEMINAR TICKETS

In this engaging and accessible session, you will witness firsthand the craft and commitment required to transform Shepards words into a vibrant, living experience. “How to: Shepard, the Seminar” provides a rare opportunity to delve into the art of interpretation and performance, serving as a perfect precursor to our 4-day intensive workshop.

*All workshop participants will receive a free ticket to the How To: Shepard, 'The Seminar'*