Erik Kuhn

Alternate 1, Associate Instructor
St. Louis, MO

Erik Kuhn is an actor, theater technician, and stage combat instructor. Like many of his theatrical hats, his passion for stage combat developed as a tangent to his onstage work. While earning his BA in Drama from Washington University in St Louis, he began working as a technician; learning skills he now employs as a freelance Technical Director, Lighting Designer, and carpenter/electrician. It was there he also met Melissa Freilich who introduced him to stage combat. Since attending his first workshop, Erik has continued uninterrupted training in stage combat, primarily under Dueling Arts International and founder Gregory Hoffman. He quickly transitioned into employing that training as a fight director and has over a dozen credits with educational institutions and professional companies in the St. Louis area. Through his work as a fight director, he discovered an interest in – and a genuine need for – stage combat training in the area, which encouraged him to attend the teacher training workshop with DAI. He completed his apprenticeship while assisting Gregory Hoffman in classes at the American Conservatory Theater’s MFA program. Now, along with his work as a technician, actor, and fight director; Erik is working to spread the knowledge and appreciation of safe yet compelling stage combat.