Originally built in the 1920's as the Palace Theater, the structure burnt down and William F. Ruffin added it to his collection of theaters, rebuilt it, and named it the Ruffin Theater. It has undergone several renovations through the years, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places (#92000248) in 1992. Some of those facelifts modified it from its humble beginnings as a 'Moving Picture House' to a full-fledged 640 seat theater with a large stage. Elvis Presley is said to have played here on March 16, 1955.
Now, with a freshly redesigned lighting system, and a new state-of-the-art 32 channel sound system, the Historic Ruffin Theater can accommodate anything from a major stage production to a large concert.
Community theater is a big part of the Historic Ruffin Theater, with many talented individuals participating in recent productions like: 'Pillow Talk', 'Little Women', 'A Christmas Carol', 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', and many others. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the frequent auditions for plays by watching our website and the local media. The Ruffin Theater hosts many musical events from all genres, including a Bluegrass series on the first Friday of every month, a 'Symphony' program, and many variety shows of all kinds. The Historic Ruffin Theater also plays host to many yearly events like 'Colgate Country Showdown' and 'Miss Tipton County Pageants'.
The Historic Ruffin Theater is operated by the Tipton Arts Council, Inc. as a Non-Profit 501 (C) 3, and is dependent on the community for most funding. Patrons are a vital part of our existence and everyone is encouraged to contribute to keep the arts alive in Tipton County.
The Tipton Arts Council is also home to the Tipton Art League, a group of talented artists dedicated to spreading the visual arts within the country and beyond.
More information on the Official Website below.
Contributed by Chuck Van Bibber, Jeff Yarbrough
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Sitting on one side of the town square, the Ruffin, and its dedicated and talented management, has kept life in "downtown" Covington when many other towns have withered and died.
The Ruffin is worth a detour to see if you're ever in Memphis.