There’s something scary and mysterious about people who live outside society,” says Gypsy Snider, circus creator for the modern-day revival of Pippin, the 1972 Broadway musical originally directed by the late Bob Fosse.

Snider, an SF native, was born into the famous Pickle Family Circus, a big-top act founded in 1974 by her mother and stepfather. From the age of four, Snider, now 44, trained in high-flying acts. She went on to study circus arts in Switzerland at Teatro Dimitri, which eventually led to her three-and-a-half-year stint with Cirque du Soleil. Given her upbringing, Pippin, an energetic show about a group of misfits living on the fringe, is close to Snider’s heart. Fusing Fosse’s steamy dance style with her own jaw-dropping, three-ring spectacles, Snider’s production is a carnival for the senses. “If you listen to the music, it’s light, hopeful, and full of love, even though the story is about war and sex,” says Snider. “Since the original production was on the dark side—the Leading Player was based on Charles Manson!—I wanted this show to be much more positive.”

Runs through Oct. 19 at the SHN Golden Gate Theater.

This article was published in 7x7's October 2014 issue. Click here to subscribe.