Paul Sulzman, beloved son, brother, husband, friend and student of the humanities, has taken his final bow here on earth to boldly go on to his next voyage.
Paul was born in Manhattan, Kansas, as the second oldest of six children to Robert and Vivian. He came from a close-knit family, with most of his childhood spent in the community of Greeley, Colorado. Those formative years were shaped by strong family bonds, curiosity, and an early exposure to creativity and community that would guide the course of his life.
Paul chose to attend Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, drawn both by his admiration for his father, an alumnus, and by his own deep spiritual sensibility and attraction to the arts. Initially inclined toward writing and journalism, Paul found himself unable to shake the powerful impression left by his experience on the stage at Greeley Central High School. What began as an interest soon revealed itself as a calling, and he redirected his studies toward the theatrical arts.
Paul was a classically trained, highly respected Shakespearean stage actor. Over the course of his career, he performed in more than seventy stage productions, including over thirty works by Shakespeare. He believed passionately in the essential role that the arts and culture play in society, often highlighting their capacity to deepen empathy, provoke reflection, and illuminate the human condition.
His work with the Marin Shakespeare Company earned him a Dean Goodman Choice Award and multiple Bay Area Critics Circle nominations, recognizing him as a standout principal performer and honoring his lasting contribution to classical theatre. Among his most acclaimed performances was his portrayal of Iago in Othello, which was noted for its psychological depth, clarity of language, and chilling restraint. Reviews praised his ability to balance linguistic precision with emotional complexity, creating a character both compelling and unsettling.
Theatre was the passion that intertwined Paul's life with that of his lifelong partner, LeeAnn, a classically trained stage actress. Side by side on stage and in life, they shared numerous productions, joined by love, artistry, and a shared admiration of Shakespeare's timeless ability to speak to the depths of the human spirit through drama and comedy alike.
In addition to his theatrical life, Paul devoted himself to the art of ballroom dance, studying at Catholic University in Washington D.C. and competing in England and Wales. His international experience informed both his technical teaching and his appreciation for the arts and humanities as a form of connection and expression.
For nearly twenty years now, he has been leading a community of dedicated ballroom dance students throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara and Ojai, California. He also held instructional and organizational responsibilities with local ballroom dance organizations, contributing to classes, workshops, and community events. Whether on stage in the Ojai theatre or on the local dance floor, Paul was known for his generosity as a teacher, his patience with beginners, and his ability to help others feel confident, capable, and welcome.
Paul's intellectual life upon the stage was beautifully woven within his profound sense of spirituality. He was a devoted student of philosophy and cosmology, spending the past two decades immersed in Jyotish (Vedic Astrology), following an earlier decade in the study of Western astrology. His curiosity led him deeply into traditions such as Taoism and Hindu philosophy, and he approached these studies not as abstractions, but as living systems of meaning. At the time of his passing, Paul was enthralled with the works of Pythagoras, continuing a lifelong exploration of harmony, number, rhythm, and the unseen structures underlying our intrinsic nature.
Paul's dedication to the arts was more than just a personal passion - it was a fervent belief in the cultural arts as an elementary component of society, enabling humanity to thrive. For him, the arts were a form of nourishment; a force that steadies the soul and enhances our shared human experience. In an age often tilted toward efficiency and accumulation, he stood firmly for imagination and depth.
Shakespeare gave him a lifelong language for this belief, inspired by the inherent credo of the esteemed playwright's works that "the purpose of playing... is to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature." Through theatre and dance, Paul held that mirror with care, inviting others to see themselves more clearly, more compassionately, and more fully.
His life was a testament to the quintessential ethos of community and the enduring necessity of the arts, not as luxury, but as indispensable to the well-being of humankind. He will be missed for his depth of spirit, his precocious sense of humor and his distinct insights into what it means to be human.
Paul is survived by his life partner, LeeAnn, his 91 year old mother and four of his siblings, and an extensive family of aunts, uncles and cousins.
Support his family by donating here: https://gofund.me/b6b9d8208
In memory of Paul, find your local community theatre to experience the arts on the stage or do a spin, twirl or whirl where you stand and connect deeper with his legacy.
Paul was born in Manhattan, Kansas, as the second oldest of six children to Robert and Vivian. He came from a close-knit family, with most of his childhood spent in the community of Greeley, Colorado. Those formative years were shaped by strong family bonds, curiosity, and an early exposure to creativity and community that would guide the course of his life.
Paul chose to attend Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, drawn both by his admiration for his father, an alumnus, and by his own deep spiritual sensibility and attraction to the arts. Initially inclined toward writing and journalism, Paul found himself unable to shake the powerful impression left by his experience on the stage at Greeley Central High School. What began as an interest soon revealed itself as a calling, and he redirected his studies toward the theatrical arts.
Paul was a classically trained, highly respected Shakespearean stage actor. Over the course of his career, he performed in more than seventy stage productions, including over thirty works by Shakespeare. He believed passionately in the essential role that the arts and culture play in society, often highlighting their capacity to deepen empathy, provoke reflection, and illuminate the human condition.
His work with the Marin Shakespeare Company earned him a Dean Goodman Choice Award and multiple Bay Area Critics Circle nominations, recognizing him as a standout principal performer and honoring his lasting contribution to classical theatre. Among his most acclaimed performances was his portrayal of Iago in Othello, which was noted for its psychological depth, clarity of language, and chilling restraint. Reviews praised his ability to balance linguistic precision with emotional complexity, creating a character both compelling and unsettling.
Theatre was the passion that intertwined Paul's life with that of his lifelong partner, LeeAnn, a classically trained stage actress. Side by side on stage and in life, they shared numerous productions, joined by love, artistry, and a shared admiration of Shakespeare's timeless ability to speak to the depths of the human spirit through drama and comedy alike.
In addition to his theatrical life, Paul devoted himself to the art of ballroom dance, studying at Catholic University in Washington D.C. and competing in England and Wales. His international experience informed both his technical teaching and his appreciation for the arts and humanities as a form of connection and expression.
For nearly twenty years now, he has been leading a community of dedicated ballroom dance students throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara and Ojai, California. He also held instructional and organizational responsibilities with local ballroom dance organizations, contributing to classes, workshops, and community events. Whether on stage in the Ojai theatre or on the local dance floor, Paul was known for his generosity as a teacher, his patience with beginners, and his ability to help others feel confident, capable, and welcome.
Paul's intellectual life upon the stage was beautifully woven within his profound sense of spirituality. He was a devoted student of philosophy and cosmology, spending the past two decades immersed in Jyotish (Vedic Astrology), following an earlier decade in the study of Western astrology. His curiosity led him deeply into traditions such as Taoism and Hindu philosophy, and he approached these studies not as abstractions, but as living systems of meaning. At the time of his passing, Paul was enthralled with the works of Pythagoras, continuing a lifelong exploration of harmony, number, rhythm, and the unseen structures underlying our intrinsic nature.
Paul's dedication to the arts was more than just a personal passion - it was a fervent belief in the cultural arts as an elementary component of society, enabling humanity to thrive. For him, the arts were a form of nourishment; a force that steadies the soul and enhances our shared human experience. In an age often tilted toward efficiency and accumulation, he stood firmly for imagination and depth.
Shakespeare gave him a lifelong language for this belief, inspired by the inherent credo of the esteemed playwright's works that "the purpose of playing... is to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature." Through theatre and dance, Paul held that mirror with care, inviting others to see themselves more clearly, more compassionately, and more fully.
His life was a testament to the quintessential ethos of community and the enduring necessity of the arts, not as luxury, but as indispensable to the well-being of humankind. He will be missed for his depth of spirit, his precocious sense of humor and his distinct insights into what it means to be human.
Paul is survived by his life partner, LeeAnn, his 91 year old mother and four of his siblings, and an extensive family of aunts, uncles and cousins.
Support his family by donating here: https://gofund.me/b6b9d8208
In memory of Paul, find your local community theatre to experience the arts on the stage or do a spin, twirl or whirl where you stand and connect deeper with his legacy.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Paul Sulzman, please visit our flower store.
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