“What an incredible venue! And a staff that truly loves being there. Thank you for an incredible night!”
About The Ritz
Our History
At the beginning of the 20th century something amazing was just in its infancy stage. Something that would change the way people would spend their leisure time for decades to come. Motion pictures. The movies. Silent at first, then with sound. Accompanied by orchestras or organs. Some with live performances during intermissions and in between. The movies celebrated the good times and let people forget about the hard times. Everybody loved the movies. As the movie business grew, so did the places we went to see them. The grand movie palaces. These large, grand theaters built in “magnificent excess” were designed to gain a competitive edge. It was a time when where we went to the movies was as important as the movies themselves.
The year was 1928. Downtown Tiffin had three theaters in operation catering to an eager public. Original builders Dan Kerwin and Adam Ritzler dreamed of a movie palace more grand and beautiful than anything the area had ever seen. Completed in only nine months The Ritz Theatre was instantly dubbed “Tiffin’s quarter-million-dollar-movie-palace.” When it opened December 20, 1928, over 1,500 patrons packed the theatre to listen to the Ritz Quality Orchestra and greet this modern marvel.
Of the four theaters in Tiffin of the 1920’s and 1930’s The Ritz is the only reminder of an era gone by. Renovated in 1998 to its almost original condition The Ritz Theatre allows us to look back to a time when the theaters themselves often stole the show.
Board of Trustees
Brian Cooper
President
Heidi Stephey
Vice President
Laura Evans
Secretary
Eric Willman
Treasurer
Patty Cole
Carolyn Lavendar
Judy Miller
Weston Reinbolt
Louise Zoeller
Barbara Beineke Spitler
Emeritus
Dr. David Drake
Emeritus
Dr. Dominic Fabrizio
Emeritus
Andrew Kalnow
Emeritus
Carl Kalnow
Emeritus