Zelter Quartet
Ruskin’s birthday (February 8) is always a big occasion for the Ruskin Art Club. We will present a full evening of readings, toasts, and music to honor the great art and social critic on his 203rd birthday. Among the evening’s highlights will be an edited version of the lecture “Traffic” (1864), the radical Victorian art critic’s brilliant defense of dignity and creativity in a world obsessed by money, read by actor Jeff Sugarman. The Zelter Quartet, led by cellist Allan Hon, will join us again, performing Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major (1903).
Jeff Sugarman
Winner of the LA Drama Critics Circle award for his portrayal of Laurence Olivier in Austin Pendelton’s acclaimed play Orson’s Shadow. Jeff has performed in theatres in Los Angeles, New York, and across the country including as Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lincoln Center/Theatre for a New Audience), Peck in How I Learned to Drive (Hartford Theatre Works), Oliver in As You Like It (La Jolla Playhouse), Kenny in Theatre District (The Black Dahlia), and Captain Anderson in AR Gurney’s Far East (Florida Studio Theatre). Jeff has also appeared as various lawyers, doctors, senators, rich bastards, dads, and CEO’s in films, tv shows, and commercials, most notably as Colonel Pollard in the feature film A Marine Story, and as Mr. Canfield in the short film Clown Nose Theory. Jeff has John Ruskin to thank for his move to Los Angeles as he was cast some 21 years ago as Mr. Ruskin in the West Coast premiere at South Coast Rep of Gregory Murphy’s The Countess. He lives in LA with his wife Kathe Mazur, and his son Jake Mazur Sugarman.