Biography

Clyde Ruffin joined the faculty of University of Missouri in 1983 as Professor of Theatre. He was appointed Chair of the Department of Theatre in 1990 and served in that capacity until 1995. He is the recipient of The Purple Chalk Award for Undergraduate Teaching, The Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence, MU Faculty Alumni Award and the Chancellor's Award for Research and Creativity. He is also a Kellogg National Fellow. In 1996 he was honored as a Distinguished Alumni of The University of Iowa during the 75th Anniversary of the Theatre Arts Department. In 1999 he was inducted as a charter member of The National Theatre Conference and in 2004 he was awarded The Martin Luther King Community Service Award. Although he has directed more than 100 productions during his career, his most memorable experiences have been the premiere production of Strands, recipient of the Kennedy Center Medallion for Artistic Excellence, Macbeth which premiered at The Cultural Center in Castries, St. Lucia in collaboration with the acclaimed poet and playwright Derek Walcott, A Raisin In The Sun at The Karamu Performing Arts Center and a premiere production of Black No More commissioned by The Guthrie Theatre. In addition to more than twenty years of collaboration as the principal costume designer for The Metro Theatre Company, he has also worked professionally as director, designer and actor with The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, The Cincinnati Playhouse, The Lyceum Theatre, and Fort Worth Shakespeare In The Park . His most recent professional credits include directing, Levee James for the St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre and costume designs for the premiere production of Earth Songs for The Missouri Historical Museum.