Conceived as an intimate, immersive gathering, ShepardFest was built around the belief that Shepard’s work is best experienced through a blend of performance, conversation, scholarship, and community.

  • ShepardFest was founded in 2019 by theatre artists Raines Carr and Andrea McCook as a celebration of the life and work of Sam Shepard and the artists drawn to his uncompromising voice. Conceived as an intimate, immersive gathering, the festival was built around the belief that Shepard’s work is best experienced through a blend of performance, conversation, scholarship, and community. St. Augustine—rich with history, myth, and storytelling became the festival’s natural home. With the generous sponsorship and support of Flagler College and the Tourist Development Council of the City of St. Augustine, ShepardFest launched as a multi-day event featuring a full theatrical production, staged readings, film screenings, panel discussions with noted academics and Shepard scholars, and live music. From its beginning, ShepardFest has been rooted in collaboration: between artists and audiences, scholars and students, past and present. What started as a shared artistic vision continues as an invitation to gather, to question, and to experience Shepard’s work in a place where stories linger.

  • Sam Shepard’s work sits at the crossroads of poetry, myth, and the American landscape. His plays and writings explore family, identity, love, violence, and longing with a voice that is at once raw, lyrical, and deeply human. Shepard doesn’t offer easy answers—he invites us to sit with contradictions, to listen closely, and to reckon with who we are and where we come from. As a playwright, actor, poet, musician, and filmmaker, Shepard moved fluidly across artistic forms, reshaping American theatre in the process. His work continues to challenge artists and audiences alike, demanding bold performances and honest engagement. ShepardFest exists because his voice still resonates, provoking conversation, inspiring creativity, and reminding us that theatre can be both intimate and epic at the same time.

  • St. Augustine is a city shaped by history, storytelling, and layers of lived experience—making it a natural home for ShepardFest. As the nation’s oldest city, St. Augustine carries a sense of memory and myth that echoes the themes found throughout Shepard’s work: the weight of the past, the pull of place, and the tension between what is remembered and what is imagined. With its walkable downtown, historic venues, and vibrant arts community, St. Augustine offers an intimate setting where performances, conversations, and community can intersect. ShepardFest embraces the city not just as a backdrop, but as a collaborator, inviting audiences to engage with theatre in a place where stories linger and history feels close at hand.

ShepardFest Company Structure

Artistic Director, Raines Carr

Provides the artistic vision for ShepardFest, overseeing programming, curatorial direction, and the overall creative mission of the festival.

Casting & Development Director, Mary Claire Branton

Leads casting initiatives and supports artist development, ensuring alignment with the festival’s artistic values and collaborative spirit.

Festival Director, Bryce Esposito

Oversees festival operations, partnerships, scheduling, and organizational coordination, supporting the successful execution of ShepardFest across all programming and events.

Technical Production Associate, Tyler Hammond

Manages technical coordination and production logistics, supporting performances, readings, and special events throughout the festival.

Branding Associate, Josh Andrews

Oversees brand presence and visual identity, supporting marketing efforts and audience engagement across platforms.

Festival Advisors, Britt Corry & Andrea McCook

ShepardFest is guided by a group of trusted advisors who provide artistic, academic, and community insight.

“Shepard believed the stage was a place where truth could be messy, contradictory, and deeply human. ShepardFest is an invitation to lean into that experience and to traverse the work together and keep the conversation going about this great American experiment.”

— Raines Carr, Co-Founder