Character guide
David Ruffin
from Ain't Too Proud
David Ruffin is a lead character in Ain't Too Proud, the 2019 musical about the Temptations, whose distinctive voice fueled the group's rise and whose ego helped tear it apart.
- Show
- Ain't Too Proud
- Broadway premiere
- 2019
- Role
- Lead
- Music by
- Kenny Seymour
Who is David Ruffin?
David Ruffin joins the Temptations partway through the show and quickly becomes its most electrifying lead voice, driving hits that push the group to new heights of fame. His talent is matched by a volatile, self destructive streak, marked by drug use, missed rehearsals, and a growing belief that he is bigger than the group itself.
Ruffin's arc traces a classic rise and fall, from thrilling new addition to a liability whose behavior forces the other Temptations to make a painful choice about the group's future, making him one of the show's most dramatically charged figures.
David Ruffin's role in Ain't Too Proud
David Ruffin is a lead role built around powerhouse vocals and raw charisma, demanding a performer who can shift between magnetic stage presence and unraveling instability. Ephraim Sykes originated the role on Broadway, earning a Tony nomination for a performance praised for its athletic dancing and emotional intensity.
Audiences remember Ruffin for both his showstopping numbers and the tragedy of his decline, a reminder within the show of how fame can undo the very talent that created it.
David Ruffin on stage vs screen
Broadway compared with the 1998 NBC miniseries The Temptations
In the 1998 NBC miniseries The Temptations, David Ruffin was played by the actor Leon, and the story follows him to the end: after a show, every member but Eddie votes to kick him out of the group, and in June 1991 his body lies unidentified in a morgue for a week before he is recognized (a dramatized account), dead of an apparent drug overdose. Ruffin's family was among those who sued over the miniseries's portrayals, and the courts ruled for the defendants.
Ephraim Sykes originated Ruffin in Ain't Too Proud on Broadway in 2019, earning a Tony nomination.
David Ruffin: frequently asked questions
What show is David Ruffin from?
David Ruffin is a lead character in Ain't Too Proud, which opened on Broadway in 2019.
Is David Ruffin a lead or supporting role?
David Ruffin is a lead role, portraying the Temptations' charismatic but troubled lead singer.
Who wrote the music for Ain't Too Proud?
Ain't Too Proud is a jukebox musical of the Temptations' Motown catalog, with Kenny Seymour as music supervisor and arranger and Harold Wheeler as orchestrator.
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