Sydney Shepherd

Sydney (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based actor, singer, songwriter, cellist, and multi-instrumentalist. Acting credits include First Date on Broadway, the World Premiere of August Rush (Lyla), Lizzie (Lizzie), Jasper in Deadland (Agnes). Selected TV/Film: Red Dead Redemption II, Netflix’s Ask the Storybots, and the upcoming feature The Midnight Song, a film for which she also wrote the title track.

Sydney is ⅓ of the critically acclaimed indie folk-pop band Bandits on The Run. They’ve released several albums, toured internationally, scored films and written songs for Netflix, and played many festivals including The NPR Tiny Desk Tour, Cambridge Folk Fest, Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, and Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix. They most recently opened on tour for the Grammy-nominated band The Wood Brothers. The Bandits are currently in residency at the Bowery Electric and working on developing several musical theatre projects.

Sydney is also a longtime collaborator of actor/musician Christopher Sears, and originated the role of The Moon in Sears’ Moonchildren Opera.

She is currently working with the Bandits, Sears, and writer/director Peter Hedges on developing the new stage musical adaptation of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape at MCC. They recently worked on the project at the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat Residency in 2024.

At Woodward, Sydney looks forward to working with the Bandits on their many upcoming writing projects.