Kristen Johnson (escape artist)

Infobox_Celebrity


image_size = 150px
name = Kristen Johnson
birth_date =
birth_place = Glens Falls, NY
nationality = American
occupation = escape artist
spouse = Kevin Ridgeway
website = [http://www.livingillusions.com www.livingillusions.com]

Kristen Johnson (born in Glens Falls, NY) is an award-winning escape artist who works with her husband magician Kevin Ridgeway under the names Living Illusions, Ridgeway & Johnson and Breathless. As a successful performer in her own right she stands out in the male-dominated world of magic and she is one of a very small number of women to achieve prominence in the field of escapology.

The couple have a strong Christian faith and, under the Living Illusions name, have performed in connection with many faith based events and organizations, such as the Will Graham Celebration with evangelist Billy Graham's grandson in May 2008. [cite news
url = http://www.christianhollywood.com/Articles/LivingIllusions.html
title = Living Illusion
first = Debbie
last = Fuller
work = Christian Hollywood
date = (2006)
accessdate = 2007-03-10] As their act has become more successful they have expanded into doing larger venues, fairs and festivals with a show under the name of Ridgeway & Johnson geared specifically for that market. In 2007 they launched a full-length touring theater show under the name "Breathless", which has played across the United States.

Kristen's signature escape is the "Full View Water Torture Cell" - in which she is chained up and locked inside a water filled tank from which she escapes in full view of the audience. The full view aspect differentiates it from Houdini's water torture cell escape, which required a curtain to be drawn to obscure him from the audience while he escaped. [cite web
url = http://www.angelfire.com/wi3/earl/ke_pix_main.html
title = "Kristen Johnson's Full View WTC"
publisher = "Escape Artist Reference Library"
accessdate = 2007-03-10] She performed the original version of the stunt as part of the "Worldwide Escape Artist's Relay" in 2005, which was an attempt to set a world record for the largest number of escapes performed in a day. [cite web
url = http://www.memoryelixir.com/WEAR/wear.html
title = "Worldwide Escape Artist Relay, October 29, 2005"
publisher = Dr Wilson's Memory Elixir
accessdate = 2007-03-10]

Considered world class illusionists and escapologists, Ridgeway and Johnson have developed a show that captivates every audience they perform for. In addition to the only "Full View Water Torture Cell" they also include other escapes and stunts and the only illusion in the Western Hemisphere which involves Kristen passing through a 747 jet turbine engine.

On October 29, 2006 Kristen received one of the top honors in her field during the 4th Annual International Escape Convention where she was presented with The Masters Award by Thomas Blacke of "Escape Masters" magazine. She performed a new version of her "Full view water cell", making her one of only two artists to have performed at the first four international escape artist conventions that had been held. [For 2nd convention see cite web
url = http://www.cannonsgreatescapes.net/Indy.htm
title = Cannon's Great Escapes
accessdate = 2007-03-10 For 4th convention see cite web
url = http://www.dailybulletin.com/living/ci_4405743
title = "Escape artist convention to mesmerize in Ontario"
last = Sholley
first = Diana
publisher = DailyBulletin.com
date = 27 Sept 2006
accessdate = 2007-03-10]

Kristen's "Water cell" stunt requires her to hold her breath while she picks a series of locks that fasten chains and secure the lid of the cell. She averages 2 minutes and 45 seconds underwater on one breath, however she has occasionally taken up to 3 minutes and 15 seconds to free herself. She ends her shows with this escape and has performed it as often as 30 times in ten days. She offers a $10,000 challenge to anyone who can prove that she takes a second breath, uses an underwater breathing apparatus or a key once she has dropped below the water. Escapologist and convention organizer Mark Cannon has stated that this escape "is fast becoming one of the most talked-about stunts in the world of escapology". And Wayne N. Kawamoto from "About: magic" has written: "Her escape was the most dramatic and involving that I have ever witnessed. Johnson set a high bar for the other performers that will be difficult to match." [cite web
url = http://magic.about.com/b/a/257437.htm
title = "Escape Artist Convention Unleashes in Ontario"
last = Kawamoto
first = Wayne
publisher = About.com
accessdate = 2007-03-10]

Kristen has been featured on The Travel Channel's "Inside the Houdini Museum". This show documented Houdini and modern day escape artists. Kristen was the only female selected for the show, in which she performed her "Spike Escape" and, together with her husband, a version of "Origami". She has been mentioned on the front page of "The L.A. Times" in a story about the re-emergence of escape artists. March 17, 2008 Kristen performed her Full View Water Torture Cell during a Half Time Show for the New Orleans Hornets game. That evening, footage of her escape was shown on ESPN's Spotscenter. May 8, 2008 Kristen was featured on the hit television show, Mucizeler Gecesi, which shoots and airs in Istanbul, Turkey. There she performed her Full View Water Torture Cell for a live studio audience. Bill Taylor from The Toronto Star has written: "In the past six years, she's performed the escape almost 500 times and has her eyes on Houdini's record, which is believed to be around 1,000 times." [cite web
url = http://www.thestar.com/article/473345
title = "Houdini torture revived right before your eyes"
last = Taylor
first = Bill
publisher = The Toronto Star
accessdate = 2008-08-11] She is billed as "The World's Premier Female Escape Artist".

References

External links

* [http://www.ridgewayandjohnson.com Ridgeway & Johnson]
* [http://www.livingillusions.com Living Illusions]
* [http://www.breathlesstour.com Breathless]
* [http://www.thestar.com/article/473345 Toronto Star article, Houdini torture revived right before your eyes]
* [http://www.thestar.com/article/481007 Second Toronto Star article, Wondrous awe at the Ex]
* [http://blogto.com/city/2008/08/grand_illusion_escape_artist_wows_cne_goers Blogto.com article, Grand Illusion & Escape Artist Wows CNE Goers]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=huBJvi9smPk Casket Crash Video]
* [http://www.magicsanctum.com/wiki/index.php?title=Kristen_Johnson Magic Sanctum]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=eZmxpiYxhmU Escape Montage video]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=w4engRC4-W8 Three minute breath hold during Full View Water Torture Cell video]
* [http://www.flickr.com/kevinandkristen Kristen's flickr picture site]