The Society was founded in 1932. Its first full show was performed in 1936 and other than a short break during World War 2 has performed one main show each year together with a number of Concerts.

The Society was originally formed by members of the Ripley Co-op and at that time was called the Ripley Co-operative Operatic Society and operated under that name for a number of years until support by the Co-operative Society was withdrawn the Society then became Known as the Ripley Operatic Society.

Until 1968 the Society produced its shows at the Hippodrome Theatre in Ripley and when the Theatre closed alternate accommodation was found on the Stage at Mortimer Wilson School in Alfreton. This stage posed a number of difficulties having a maximum height for scenery of 12 foot and no flying gallery which makes scene changing difficult.

We again changed the Society name to cater for our audience in the Alfreton Area and became the "Ripley and Alfreton Operatic Society"

Having moved area and changed from a large Theatre to a school hall the numbers in our audience dropped and we decided to make every effort to make the school hall more like a theatre, to do this we decided that we would have to install a tiered seating structure so that each row of seats was higher than the one in front. With the help of the Swanwick Delves school a wooden structure was built which we had to erect in the school hall prior to the week of the show. This structure took over 2 days to build and was used for every performance for 27 years.

When the wooden tiered structure was showing signs of age the Society applied to the Lotteries Commission for a grant towards the cost of a replacement metal alloy structure. This new structure is compact and far easier to erect taking only 5 to 6 hours and can be adapted for use in smaller venues and can be used as tiering or for staging. This structure and is available for hire to local Societies.

The Society again changed its name in 2009 to the "Ripley and Alfreton Musical Theatre Company"

The Society meets to rehearse from September each year and performs a show at Alfreton Grange Arts College (Formally Mortimer Wilson School) during the Easter school holidays. The full Society meets for rehearsals on Thursday evenings with additional rehearsals for principals dancers etc on Tuesday Evenings and Sunday afternoons. We hold all of our rehearsals at the Centenary Scout Hall at Swanwick.

The Society is affiliated to the National Operatic and Dramatic Association.