'Passengers' at crossroads of circus and theater - Harvard Gazette

"The 7 Fingers, a contemporary physical-theater troupe, brings "Passengers" to the American Repertory Theater this month. In an edited conversation, Diane Paulus, the Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director of the A.R.T., speaks with 7 Fingers co-founders Gypsy Snider (circus choreographer of "Pippin") and Shana Carroll (writer, director, and choreographer of "Passengers") about the human scale of contemporary circus, how the art form relates to theater, and the troupe's special relationship with Boston-area audiences."

"That was when The 7 Fingers was born. We are seven co-founders, and the company really came into being because we were at the point when we wanted to go from being performers to becoming creators. When we started in 2002, we were looking at emerging forms that were inspiring to us, things like Blue Man Group or De La Guarda-shows that were undefinable, but deeply human and energetic and that really combined mediums."

"We were a little bit rebellious and looking away from the big spectacle, the elaborate costumes, and the fantastical. We wanted to come back to something that was essentially human. Now we are a creative collective and production company that tours the world with our own shows as well as collaborative productions and projects."

Gypsy Snider and Shana Carroll co-founded The 7 Fingers around 2001–2002 to move from performing to creating original work. The collective of seven artists mixes circus skills and theatrical storytelling to produce intimate, human-centered shows rather than large-scale spectacle. Inspirations included experimental groups like Blue Man Group and De La Guarda, with an emphasis on undefinable, energetic forms that combine mediums. The company tours globally with its own productions and collaborative projects. The troupe focuses on accessible, everyday themes presented through physical theater, and maintains a strong relationship with Boston audiences via performances such as Passengers at the American Repertory Theater.

Read at Harvard Gazette