You Might Encounter The Playful Antics Of A Child Ghost When Watching A Show At The KiMo Theater In Albuquerque, New Mexico
A boiler explosion, children’s toys, and doughnuts seem to have little in common—that is, unless you happen to be familiar with the haunting of Albuquerque’s KiMo Theater. For decades now, theater employees, performers, and patrons have reported sightings of a child ghost lurking in the Art Deco-building. His story is simultaneously tragic and light-hearted.
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It only seems appropriate that a downtown theater built in 1927 has a ghost - and this one just happens to be a mischievous one.
Sitting in the balcony, a sound from the movie scared the six-year-old and Bobby went running for the stairs. Moments later, the water heater located underneath the staircase exploded, killing the boy and injuring seven other people in the lobby.
The tragic event has been mostly forgotten over the decades, but its victim lingers.
Clad in jeans and a striped shirt, some people have reported seeing Bobby on the balcony or playing near the same staircase he died. More frequently, however, he is the suspect of mishaps during performances. Light bulbs suddenly going out, cast tripping or forgetting their lines, and other playful antics are often blamed on Bobby's ghost.
Because of this, a shrine to Bobby was established in the back of the theater.
The tale “A Christmas Carol” performance gone wrong in the 1970s (or 1980s, depending on the story's source) that led to the shrine, is said to have never actually happened. Either way, Bobby's story lives on.
The KiMo Theater is located in downtown Albuquerque along Central Avenue.
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
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