Interview: Founding Artistic Director Raines Carr On ShepardFest, the World's Only Sam Shepard Festival

ShepardFest, the only festival in the world dedicated to celebrating the life and work of Sam Shepard, returns to St. Augustine this summer, bringing together artists, scholars, students, and audiences through performances, readings, films, music, and conversation. Led by Founding Artistic Director Raines Carr, this year's festival runs July 30 through August 3 at The Waterworks and features a full-scale production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning BURIED CHILD, a staged reading of KICKING A DEAD HORSE, three lectures on theatre design and dramaturgy, and screenings of the films THUNDERHEART and DAYS OF HEAVEN. Longtime Shepard researcher Robert M. Dowling, author of COYOTE: THE DRAMATIC LIVES OF Sam Shepard, serves as this year's special guest.

Carr is a multidisciplinary theatre artist and educator with over 30 years of experience in theatre, film, and television. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Florida State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Directing from The University of Alabama. Currently the Artistic Director of ABET (All Beaches Experimental Theatre) in Atlantic Beach, Florida, he also teaches as an adjunct professor of theatre at Florida State College at Jacksonville. For ShepardFest, Carr will also step onstage as a performer, playing Hobart Struther in the staged reading of KICKING A DEAD HORSE.

BroadwayWorld spoke with Carr about the responsibility of being the primary steward of Shepard's legacy, why BURIED CHILD anchors this year's festival, and what he hopes newcomers take away from encountering one of America's greatest storytellers.

---

What inspired you to create ShepardFest, and what do you hope audiences and artists will take away from this year's festival?

ShepardFest was born from a simple realization: while Sam Shepard is one of America's greatest playwrights, no festival was dedicated solely to celebrating his work. As a director and educator, I wanted to create a place where artists, scholars, students, and audiences could come together to experience his plays through performances, readings, discussions, films, and educational events. This year is especially meaningful as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Shepard spent his career exploring the country's identity, contradictions, and the American Dream, making his work more relevant than ever. My hope is that audiences leave with a renewed appreciation for his remarkable storytelling and that the festival inspires meaningful conversations about America, theatre, and the human experience.

As the only festival in the world dedicated to Sam Shepard, how do you approach the responsibility of being the primary steward of his legacy in a live festival setting?

It's a responsibility I don't take lightly. Rather than trying to define Sam Shepard's legacy, our role is to create opportunities for people to continually discover and rediscover his work. We strive to honor his voice by presenting his plays with artistic integrity while also encouraging fresh perspectives through scholarship, conversations, and new generations of artists. Being the world's only festival dedicated to Shepard means we're preserving his legacy by keeping his work alive on stage, not as a museum piece, but as living, breathing theatre that continues to speak to audiences today. That's the greatest tribute we can offer.

This year's lineup includes performances, film screenings, lectures, and a book signing. How does that multidisciplinary approach reflect Shepard's own work as a playwright, actor, musician, and filmmaker?

Sam Shepard was never just a playwright. He was an actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, musician, and storyteller whose work crossed artistic boundaries, so it felt natural that ShepardFest should do the same. Our goal is to celebrate the full scope of his creative life, not just his plays. By bringing together live theatre, film screenings, lectures, and opportunities to engage with leading Shepard scholars, we invite audiences to experience his work from multiple perspectives. I think that's the best way to appreciate the breadth of his artistic legacy and to understand why his influence continues to resonate across so many different art forms.

Why did you choose BURIED CHILD as the centerpiece production for this year's festival, and what do you feel it says to audiences in 2026?

BURIED CHILD is widely considered Sam Shepard's masterpiece and one of the defining works of the American theatre, making it a fitting centerpiece for this year's festival. Set against the backdrop of a fractured American family, the play explores themes of identity, legacy, truth, and the myths we create about ourselves and our country. In 2026, as America reflects on its 250th anniversary, those themes feel especially timely. BURIED CHILD asks us to confront the gap between the stories we tell ourselves and the realities we sometimes try to bury. That's what makes the play so enduring, it continues to challenge audiences to examine who we are, where we've been, and where we're headed.

You're personally performing in the staged reading of KICKING A DEAD HORSE. What drew you to stepping in front of the audience as a performer for this particular piece?

KICKING A DEAD HORSE is one of Shepard's most intimate and poetic works, and I've wanted the opportunity to explore it for years. What makes this presentation especially meaningful is that my wife, Brooke, and I will be sharing the stage together. I'll be performing the role of Hobart Struther, while Brooke will serve as co-director and perform the stage directions, which become a character in their own right in Shepard's writing. It's a unique way to experience the play, allowing us to explore its language and imagery together while inviting the audience into Shepard's creative process. As both artists and collaborators, it's a special opportunity for us to share this remarkable piece in a way that highlights the beauty and power of his words.

Robert M. Dowling, author of the most comprehensive biography on Shepard's life, is this year's special guest. How do you see his presence shaping the conversations and talkbacks throughout the festival?

We're incredibly honored to welcome Robert M. Dowling to ShepardFest. As the author of the definitive biography on Sam Shepard, he brings an unparalleled understanding of Shepard's life, work, and artistic evolution. His insights add an incredible depth to the festival that audiences simply can't get from seeing the plays alone. What makes his presence so valuable is that he helps bridge the gap between the man and the art. Through his lectures, book signing, and post-show conversations, audiences will have the opportunity to engage with Shepard's work in a richer, more informed way. Having someone of Bob's stature as part of the festival reinforces ShepardFest's mission of combining performance with education and meaningful dialogue.

What do you want someone who has never encountered Sam Shepard's work before to feel or understand by the time they leave ShepardFest this year?

I hope they leave realizing that Sam Shepard isn't just an important American playwright, he's one of America's greatest storytellers. Whether through his plays, his acclaimed work as an actor, or his contributions to film, Shepard had a remarkable ability to capture the complexity of the American experience with honesty, humor, and heart. I also hope they discover that his work isn't intimidating, it's incredibly rewarding. Whether someone attends a play, a lecture, a film screening, or a talkback, I want them to leave curious to explore more of his work. If ShepardFest introduces even one person to an artist who changes the way they think about theatre, film, America, or themselves, then we've done our job.

---

Don't Miss a Jacksonville News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...