After graduating from Bennington College, Suzanne Shepherd studied with Larry Arrick, Herbert Berghof and Sanford Meisner. For the past 43 years, Suzanne has been teaching and coaching actors and has been on the faculty of Trinity Square Conservatory, Hartman Conservatory, the Berghof Studio and her own studio in New York City.
Suzanne has directed at the Nederlander Theatre, Dallas Theatre Center, Trinity Square Repertory Theatre, Steppenwolf, Ensemble Studio Theatre, the Whole Theatre and at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa. As an actress Suzanne has played leading roles at The Roundabout, Yale Repertory, Long Wharf, Berkeley Repertory, Vineyard Theatre, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and many more major regional theaters.
Suzanne played Edie Falco's mother on HBO's The Sopranos and also appeared on Law & Order, Blue Bloods, One Life to Live, and Third Watch.
Suzanne's film credits include: Goodfellas, Lolita, Requiem For A Dream, Mystic Pizza, Second Sight, Palookaville, Jerky Boys, Working Girl, Where is Kyra?, Furlough, Uncle Buck, Choke, Harold, Bullet, Jacob's Ladder, Twilights Last Gleaming, Wormhole, A Dirty Shame, Trees Lounge, Living Out Loud, On The Run, and Never Again.
- The Blood Knot with Danny Glover and Cotter Smith: Roundabout Theatre
- A Lesson from Aloes with Richard Kavanaugh, Ed Hall & April Shawhan: Trinity Square Repertory Theatre
- A Lesson from Aloes with Joan Allen, Danny Glover, & Francis Guinan: Steppenwolf Theatre
- Master Harold…and the Boys: Nederlander Theatre, Detroit
- Master Harold…and the Boys: Broadway, Assistant Director to Athol Fugard and National Tour with James Earl Jones
- Master Harold…and the Boys: South African Premiere, Market Theatre, Johnannesburg
- Boesman and Lena With Regina Taylor: The Whole Theatre
- The Three Sisters: Dallas Theatre Company
- The Seagull With Olympia Dukakis, Laila Robins & Greg Germann: The Whole Theatre
- Antigone: St. John the Divine
- People are Living There: Signature Theatre
- Hartman Conservatory: Meisner Technique & Scene Study
- Berghof Studio: Meisner Technique & Scene Study
- Trinity Square Repertory Conservatory: Meisner Technique & Scene Study
- Ensemble Studio Theatre: Directing and Scene Study
- NYU Graduate Film School: Directing Actors
- Sarah Lawrence College: Scene Study
- My Studio in NYC 42 Years: Meisner Technique, Scene Study, Script Analysis, Improvisation
Athol Fugard
Edie Falco
James Earl Jones
Steve Buscemi
Gregory Hines
Mickey Rourke
Jeremy Irons
Holly Hunter
Tracey Ullman
Adrian Brody
Tim Robbins
John Candy
Jeffrey Tambor
Danny Glover
Bebe Neuwirth
Michelle Pfeiffer
Joan Allen
Timothy Hutton
John Amos
Melissa Leo
Alan Arkin
Nia Vardalos
Julia Roberts
Ellen Burstyn
Michael Imperioli
Olympia Dukakis
Jessica Hecht
Selma Blair
Chris Isaak
Carol Kane
Alan Alda
James Gandolfini
John Kani
Christopher Malone
Lorraine Bracco
Johnny Knoxville