Hinterhands Puppet Company aims to create intimate performance and arts education experiences, inviting people to reflect deeply on relationship to each other, to place and to spirit. Hinterlands translates into and refers to “the lands behind.” Hinterhands refers to the seen or unseen hands behind the puppet, behind the mystery of creating, hinting at something alive.

Puppet Camp OUT

Through a series of 15 workshops from October 2022 – May 2023, up to ten participants will learn several forms of small-scale puppetry, explore telling their stories using puppetry and create a collaborative performance with this exploration.

The project will be led by Bart Buch, hinterhands’ Artistic Director and a queer puppet artist with 25 years of experience. Seth Eberle, a queer puppet artist, will also be a lead artist on the project. Seth and Bart will be working with a team of other puppet artists and queer artists from other disciplines.

Of the program participants, youth will be 14-20 years old and adults will be 60+ years old. For the pilot of this program, we are keeping the participant number low to establish a successful process that is responsible to the artists and participants.

Throughout the workshops, participants will develop their own story, get to know each other’s stories, learn puppet forms, receive mentorship from queer artists and puppet artists, and develop one short collaborative puppetry piece together.

Workshops will happen at Semilla Center for Healing and the Arts, 2742 15th Ave. S. in Minneapolis.

Puppet Camp Out

Download the Application (word doc)

The Puppet Camp OUT Application is due September 26.

Please fill out and send to [email protected]

The Three Little Pigs and Other Puppet Fun

February 18

1PM-2PM

By Scott Sorenson and Guest Community Members

See the classic story of the Three Little Pigs, a show about families, and some fun balloon surprises. How will the pigs stop the Big Bad Wolf? What makes up a family? And what’s with all the balloons! Come for lots of puppet fun!

Wish Work Puppet Series

Wish Work Logo

Wish Work, a program of Hinterhands Puppet Company, is puppet theatre for young audiences focused on telling stories working toward making the world the way we wish it to be. Performances will be held monthly on Saturday afternoons from 1PM-2PM. Each month will have a new show with a suggested donation of $5-$10 per person. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Performances are held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 2742 15th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407.

We wish to do the work of hammering the stardust of our world into puppet performances and workshops for young audiences, inspiring them to shape the stardust they are given into their wishes for the future.

Recent Shows

With Stars Above

With Stars Above

November 19

Directed, created, and produced by Seth Eberle
Written by Claudia Hankin
Music by Ryan Ruprecht
Recorded Sound by Chase D. Burkhart ​
Performed by Seth Eberle and Kallie Melvin

In the winter when the sun sets early, it is easy to feel down. Elvis Otter is lonely and sad. His friends try to help, showing him the ways in which winter is wonderful and how to find joy, even in the darkest of seasons. However, as soon as his friends leave, the Goblins come and gobble up his happiness. How can Elvis chase away the darkness and convince his friends that the Goblins are real?

Through hand-carved marionette characters, hand puppets, and beautiful music, With Stars Above considers how families and friends can find warmth together in the deepest winter.