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Studio Aristo
Welcome to Studio Aristo. We are a trio of artists working in theatre and music. In 2021, after having lots of fun shooting our experimental puppet opera Toadette during Covid-19, we decided it was our calling to commit our work to film. And so, Studio Aristo was born.
Our concept is to create films that blend live action hand puppetry with nature’s evocative landscapes. This unique combination has an organic and homemade style that represents the imperfections that are human and beautiful, and irreplaceable by newer technologies.
We are currently located in Austria.
Our Crew
Kristin Hurst
Kristin has worked since the early 1990s in opera, theatre, and film as a scenic artist and properties designer on stages such as Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Lincoln Center, and Houston Grand Opera. She has worked on commercials for ESPN and McDonalds, and others.
After touring with Rodriguez’s opera Frida and spending a summer at Bread and Puppet in Vermont, Kristin decided to start her own satirical puppet troupe, the Egg Family Puppet Show, which produced 16 shows, 2 radio shows, and 2 radio emissions.
In 1998, Kristin ran away with the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. Several years later she ran away from the circus… with her future husband. Settled in Switzerland, Kristin began once again to produce puppet shows, changing her previously dark style to a lighter one for kids and families. She became interested in clowning and street performance, and eventually toured with 2 of her productions in Europe.
After her incredible son Jack turned 5, Kristin started to incorporate him into the shows, as he seemed to like the stage. The two have been working together ever since.
Kristin is a theology student, an avid reader, and has 2 grey cats.
Jack Dauner
Born in Switzerland in 2006, Jack has collected a variety of colourful experiences for his palette, ranging from street theatre and puppet performances to his main disciplines, piano and composition. His favourite theatre experiences include a street performance at Pflasterspektakel in Linz, Austria, and at the “100, 1.000. 1.000.000 Stories” Festival in Bucharest Romania. From 2021 to 2023, Jack composed his own opera, “Toadette,” which was performed at the KLANGfrühling festival in Stadtschlaining, Austria. As a pianist, he has won first prizes in over ten international competitions and enjoys performing in a variety of venues, from the intimate Southampton Social Club (NY, USA) to the Haydn Hall at the Esterházy Palace (Eisenstadt, Austria). Aside from studying at his university, Jack enjoys philosophical debates, cuisine, and nature photography.
Catherine Du
Cathy is a Chinese-American pianist originally from Orlando, Florida. When she isn’t practicing at her university and animatedly shouting at herself as an integral part of her artistic process, she can either be found testing the enjoyability of nutritional recipes to share with friends and family, or reading while walking in the vineyards of rural Austria. She has also worked on various musical theatre shows throughout her childhood, and occasionally with Disney’s Candlelight Procession, as a singer and performer. One of her favorite memories was singing in the youth choir in Carmina Burana with the Orlando Ballet and Philharmonic. Sketching and painting are her favorite pastimes aside from walking with her cat.
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