Cirque ‘Mystere’ co-star jailed for 17 hours after ICE protests
A co-star in the city’s longest-running Cirque du Soleil production and a 20-year performer on the Strip has been released after spending Wednesday night and much of Thursday in jail after Wednesday night’s ICE protests in downtown Las Vegas.
Jimmy Slonina, who plays the clown-usher character Brian Le Petit in “Mystere” at Treasure Island, was taken into custody as he left the Cheapshot entertainment venue on 517 Fremont Street (in the Fremont East entertainment district) at about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to his wife, Robin Slonina.
Jimmy Slonina was booked into Las Vegas Detention Center, charged with unlawful assembly and failure to disperse. According to Las Vegas attorney and Slonina’s legal representative Dayvid Figler, the performer was released at 3:45 p.m. Thursday, without the need to post bail, on his own recognizance.
Slonina spent more than 16 hours locked up. Slonina said in text he would need a day or two to process the experience before talking of it.
Robin Slonina posted on Facebook, “He is out! An exhausted and emotional wreck, but free.”
Jimmy Slonina is due to appear in court to face charges of unlawful assembly and failure to disperse. Robin Slonina stresses her husband wasn’t in a group, and wasn’t aware of any dispersal order.
The 52-year-old Cirque artist was apprehended after leaving a Fallout Fringe Festival performance at Cheapshot. He was heading to Slonina ARTSpace Gallery, which the Sloninas own, at nearby 901 East Fremont St. He had parked his car at the family business.
Robin Slonina said during a phone conversation Thursday morning that her husband was walking along Fremont Street and saw what he thought was tear gas. Jimmy Slonina FaceTimed his wife at about 10:45 p.m. to show her the scene.
“He was showing me the smoke, telling me, ‘Oh my god, look what’s happening on Fremont!’ since it’s just down the street from us,” Robin Slonina said. ” He wasn’t even involved in the protest.”
Robin Slonina said a person is shown approaching her husband in military gear. The call dropped, then resumed on audio only, with Slonina saying he had been arrested and handcuffed in zip ties, charged with failure to disperse.
Slonina is heard saying he was holding the keys to Slonina’s ARTSpace, three blocks east of Cheapshot, his surname actually on the sign. Later, Jimmy Slonina called his wife back.
“He was in a holding cell with 14 other people, all of them had just been standing around Fremont Street, curious and filming what was going on,” Robin Slonina said.
In a news release, Metro reported that 94 people and seven juveniles were issued citations in the demonstration in the 500 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard. That protest was several blocks from where Slonina was taken in.
“The protest was declared an unlawful assembly after protesters failed to obey lawful orders,” the release said. “Violent actions included protesters throwing water bottles and rocks at LVMPD officers. Several roadways were also blocked by protesters.”
According to R-J reporting overnight, Metro had posted on is official X account at about 9 p.m. that the protest on South Las Vegas Boulevard and East Clark Street was “unlawful,” as those gathered were “engaging in illegal activity.” Law enforcement began using tear gas and shooting projectiles at about 9:30.
As related by Robin Slonina, Jimmy Slonina was engaged in none of this activity.
Jimmy Slonina is originally from Chicago who was in the original cast of “Le Reve” in 2005. He later played manservant Winthrop in Speigelworld’s “Vegas Nocturne” at the Cosmopolitan, premiering in December 2013. The stage vet has appeared on “America’s Got Talent” and as a specialty act on Pink’s “Truth About Love” tour in 2013.
In Las Vegas, Slonina has been a swing for the Gazillionaire character in “Absinthe,” and also appeared in “O,” “Atomic Saloon Show” and “Zarkana” on the Strip. Internationally, he was also in the of Cirque’s “Kooza” tour. Slonina has performed as Brian LePetit in “Mystere” since 2017, taking the role when circus icon Brian Dewhurst left the show.
The Sloninas have grown their Vegas arts family. Their 15-year-old son, Leo, is a freshman at Las Vegas Academy and an exceptional bass player. One of the reasons the couple opened ARTSpace downtown was because it is within walking distance of Leo’s school.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.