I've come to feel that if I can't make something happen in under an hour and a half, it's not going to happen in a compelling way in a three-hour play. Sam Shepard compelfeelhalf Change image and share on social
Sometimes in someone's gestures you can notice how a parent is somehow inhabiting that person without there being any awareness of that. Sometimes you can look at your hand and see your father. Sam Shepard awarenessfathergesture Change image and share on social
I was shot in the wrist when I was a kid. Deliberately. Sam Shepard deliberatelykidshoot Change image and share on social
The thing about American writers is that, as a group, they get stuck in the same idea: that we're a continent and the world falls away after us. And it's just nonsense. Sam Shepard americancontinentfall Change image and share on social
My dad had a lot of bad luck. You could see his suffering, his terrible suffering, living a life that was disappointing and looking for another one. Sam Shepard baddaddisappoint Change image and share on social
Democracy's a very fragile thing. You have to take care of democracy. As soon as you stop being responsible to it and allow it to turn into scare tactics, it's no longer democracy, is it? It's something else. It may be an inch away from totalitarianism. Sam Shepard caredemocracyfragile share on social
Writing for theatre is certainly different to writing an essay or any other kind of fiction or prose: it's physical. You're also telling a story, but sometimes the story isn't exactly what you intend; maybe you uncover something you had no idea you were going to uncover. Sam Shepard essayfictionidea share on social
When I just sit around my house and work, I can work two, three hours, and then I go off and ride a horse or do something that I perceive to be a lot more fun. Sam Shepard funhorsehour Change image and share on social
After the falling out with my father, I worked on a couple of ranches - thoroughbred layup farms, actually - out toward Chino, California. That was fine for a little while, but I wanted to get out completely, and twenty miles away wasn't far enough. Sam Shepard californiachinocompletely share on social
There are places where writing is acting and acting is writing. I'm not so interested in the divisions. I'm interested in the way things cross over. Sam Shepard actcrossdivision Change image and share on social
