Jay Gilligan – Contemporary Circus Artist
at the Little Theatre Auditorium
May 2nd at 7:00pm

Doors at 6:30
Run Time: ~ 1 Hr
Cost: Free! Suggested Donation $20
Socializing afterwards until 10:00pm!
Snacks and Drinks will be provided

This event is free but we ask that you please reserve your seat(s) through the Zeffy link. There is an option to make a donation to support this programming, please consider doing that to help us continue bringing experiences like this to our community.

Join us for this contemporary circus performance created by international circus artist Jay Gilligan, a juggler with more than 30 years professional and artistic experience all the way from Sweden, and Benjamin Domask-Ruh, all the way from St. Paul, as they invite you to experience what circus means in the year 2026. Everyone is welcome and will enjoy the explorations of this 21st century artform through the discipline of juggling.

It is free to attend this performance, if you are so inclined to support the artistry of this event a suggested donation of $20 is welcome.
Please stay for the post-show social – snacks and beverage will be provided.

Circus Center of MN – Cultivating Circus Appreciation across Minnesota
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Artist Bios:
Jay Gilligan has performed in 38 different countries, touring solo work and collaborating with companies such as Spiegelworld, The Gandini Juggling Project, Cie Jérôme Thomas, Les 7 doigts de la main, Cirkus Cirkör, Cie Ea Eo, and Cirque du Soleil. He is the former head teacher of juggling at the National Circus School of Sweden, in Stockholm (2000-2019), and has published a book about contemporary juggling titled “5 Catches.” His most recent work is the one-man Off-Broadway show in New York City titled “Stories About Gravity,” which offers a new genre of juggling: Close-up Juggling. The show is an homage to a lifetime of looking at juggling as a visual art form. Jay also runs his own contemporary circus company in Stockholm, called Kapsel.

For more information please visit:
www.kapsel.se
www.shakingthesky.com

Benjamin Domask-Ruh is a multidisciplinary circus artist whose work merges clown, juggling, music, and physical theater. He has collaborated with organizations including the International Jugglers’ Association, Fox and Beggar Theater, Tigerlion Arts, and the Children’s Theatre Company. Recent credits include Fun & Games (2025) by composer Carolyn O’Brien (Chicago), The Paper Operetta (2024), and An Evening with Benjamin and Thom (2025). As a Teaching Artist with COMPAS and Director of the IJA’s Youth Juggling Academy, Benjamin leads residencies and workshops internationally, fostering connections between rural and urban arts communities. His artistic practice explores humor, humanity, and accessibility in live performance. Benjamin serves as Board Chair of the International Jugglers’ Association, Associate Editor with Modern Vaudeville Press, and one of the founders of the Circus Center of Minnesota. His work continues to cultivate spaces of play, joy, empathy, and creative exchange. Professionally managed by Afton Benson. BenjaminDomaskRuh.com