The ''Family Trilogy'' is a trio of

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

s by American playwright

Sam Shepard Samuel Shepard Rogers III (November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017) was an American actor, playwright, author, screenwriter, and director whose career spanned half a century. He won 10 Obie Awards for writing and directing, the most by any write ...

. It includes ''

Curse of the Starving Class ''Curse of the Starving Class'' is a play by Sam Shepard, considered the first of a series on family tragedies. Some critics consider it part of a Family Trilogy that includes '' Buried Child'' (1979) and '' True West'' (1980).Simard, Rodney. “A ...

'' (1976), ''

Buried Child ''Buried Child'' is a play written by Sam Shepard that was first presented in 1978. It won the 1979 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and launched Shepard to national fame as a playwright. The play depicts the fragmentation of the American nuclear family ...

'' (1979), and '' True West'' (1980).Simard, Rodney. “American Gothic: Sam Shepard's Family Trilogy.” ''Theatre Annual'' 41 (1986): 21-36. Journalist John O'Mahony called Shepard's trilogy "arguably his greatest achievement."O'Mahony, John (10 October 2003)
The write stuff.
''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' Some critics consider the three plays part of a quintet which also includes '' Fool for Love'' (1983) and ''

A Lie of the Mind ''A Lie of the Mind'' is a play written by Sam Shepard, first staged at the off-Broadway Promenade Theater on 5 December 1985. The play was directed by Shepard himself with stars Harvey Keitel as Jake, Amanda Plummer as Beth, Aidan Quinn as Franki ...

'' (1985).Roudané, Matthew (2002). ''The Cambridge Companion to Sam Shepard.'' Cambridge University Press,

References

{{reflist Plays by Sam Shepard Plays set in the United States