Electric Playhouse co-founder John-Mark Collins announced he is "stepping down from active operations" at the entertainment firm. The former CEO-turned-chief experience officer made the announcement on LinkedIn on March 23.
"My goal in creating the playhouse was to bring people together, with technology as the conduit - not the attractor," his LinkedIn post stated. "As tech advances and the amount of distraction increases, I hope to be able to bring more humanity into the tech/art discussion and will be actively pursuing initiatives, both locally and nationally, to push more social engagement and controlled technology experiences."
The news comes months after the company unveiled leadership changes. In September 2021, co-founder Brandon Garrett was named CEO. He replaced Collins who transitioned to the chief experience officer position. Chief technology officer Eric Yakley's oversight was also increased.
As part of that September announcement, the company also teased "the growth of the platform model to new markets" with Houston, Dallas and Denver all in discussion. "Advancements on the content and product side, including world-class artists, games, and collaborative game studios," were also mentioned as part of that press release.
Much like Meow Wolf in Santa Fe, Electric Playhouse aims to offer interactive experiences for visitors. The Albuquerque attraction, which opened its first location in a former Staples on the Westside, also offers what is called "immersive dining."
Like many businesses in 2020, Electric Playhouse faced a severe uphill battle with Covid-19 restrictions being implemented just weeks after its grand opening. It had a soft reopening at the end of May 2021.
As of 2019, Electric Playhouse had raised more than $4 million in funding. Its venue is located at 5201 Ouray Road NW.
