For more than two decades, Cardboard Playhouse Theatre Company staged its youth productions out of whatever space it could borrow or rent, with parents sometimes hauling their own lawn chairs to rehearsals because there was nowhere else to sit. That era ends Saturday, when the Albuquerque nonprofit cuts the ribbon on its first permanent home.
The grand opening celebration begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday at 6011 Constitution Ave. NE, according to The Paper. A performance by current company members and alumni is scheduled for 11 a.m. as the celebration begins. Opening remarks are set for 11:10 a.m., followed by an official ribbon cutting and group photo at 11:15 a.m. Visitors can tour the facility and explore its rehearsal and creative spaces starting at 11:30 a.m., with refreshments and food trucks rounding out the day. A Breaking Bad RV balloon is also expected to make an appearance.
Two Decades of Making Do
Cardboard Playhouse was founded by Doug Montoya and Kristin Berg in December 2004, according to cardboardplayhouse.org. In the years since, the company has produced almost 100 productions casting more than a thousand local adult and child actors, per the same source. For most of that run, the organization operated out of borrowed and rented spaces, the article notes, and Montoya has said available venues had become harder to find and more expensive to rent, as he told koat.com in an earlier report on the company's fundraising efforts.
The new facility changes that equation. It includes dedicated rehearsal areas and workspaces that allow multiple projects to happen at the same time, and it offers areas where parents can work or wait near their children instead of standing in a parking lot. The additional room has already allowed staff to plan their entire upcoming season, the report states.
A Space Years in the Making
The building did not come easily. Back in April, Cardboard Playhouse raised $101,146 through a 24-hour stream-a-thon held April 11-12 on YouTube and Twitch, money intended to help fund a down payment on a building near Menaul Boulevard and Wyoming Boulevard, according to koat.com. At that point the property deal was still under negotiation, and Montoya said the funds put the company in a stronger position to secure a long-term space. The broader HOME Project campaign ultimately raised more than $114,000, surpassing its $100,000 goal, the article notes.
Berg said the permanent location lets the organization celebrate its history while planning for the future, and she hopes the building becomes a gathering place for the surrounding neighborhood. Montoya said the children and families the company serves deserve the space, calling the facility a hub for youth creativity and envisioning it as a creative destination for young people.
What's Next for the Company
Cardboard Playhouse plans to offer more programming to more families around Albuquerque and is exploring additional outreach opportunities with local elementary schools. Potential programming could include poetry, Shakespeare, film, media production and other performance opportunities, the report states. Training already appears to be in demand — the organization has said more than 120 students came through its Training Center in a single week for rehearsals and classes, according to the group's Home Project page.
The organization hopes to eventually transform part of the new building into a smaller performance venue, with smaller shows potentially landing at the Box Performance Space downtown. For now, larger productions will continue using theaters throughout Albuquerque. The company says it remains committed to tuition-free participation, casting young performers based on ability rather than family financial circumstances. Saturday's celebration will also include an announcement of the 2027 season and its production venues.
