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Kurt Hunter has been performing with the marionettes that he designs and builds for over twenty years. He grew up in Wisner, Nebraska and attended Nebraska Wesleyan University and Washington University in St. Louis, where he earned bachelor of science degrees in physics and electrical engineering respectively. While studying in St. Louis, he performed frequently with Bob Kramer’s Marionnettes, including several performances of "Peter and the Wolf," with the St. Louis Symphony. He moved to Minneapolis in 1986 and has worked since that time as an electrical engineer with Siemen’s Power Systems Control.

He has designed and built puppets at The Minneapolis Children’s Theatre Company and performed with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. As a solo puppeteer, he has performed as a guest artist with the Minneapolis Chamber Symphony and the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra.

For a Mall of America television commercial, the three main characters, a rocking horse, toy soldier, and angel, were marionettes that Kurt operated. Recognized as an expert on the design and construction of marionettes, he has presented workshops at puppetry festivals both regionally and nationally. He served as Artistic Director of the Puppeteers of America's 1994 National Puppetry Festival and served as the organization's national vice-president from 1995 to 1997.

In 1998, Kurt had the rare opportunity to participate a two week long master class with world renowned marionette artist, Albrecht Roser of Stuttgart, Germany.

(For Kurt's complete resume, click here.)

Although Kathy Hunter has only been involved with puppetry since she and Kurt were married in 1993, she brings with her talents that she has been developing for many years. Kathy is a classically trained soprano with a truly rare gift for music. She is also a very talented seamstress and continues to take classes to learn about the latest fabrics and techniques. Her mother, who taught painting classes for many years, helped her develop her keen sense of color. Although relatively new to marionettes, Kathy has shown a very natural feel for marionette manipulation and performed with Kurt as guest artists with the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra.