1. Brought tears to my eyes.... Such a powerful piece... Gave me a shot in the arm of that raw, authenticinspiration & passion for "the dream".Michael Baez Producer12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERPRESS KIT ANTHONY W JOHNSON

2. THE ShowDIRECTOR /CHOREOGRAPHER12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEJohnson takes the audience on a serious journey through life of SolomonNorthup, his capture and struggle to accept his new life and the people whocame to hurt and aid him on his dynamic odyssey. This incredible drama is toldthrough music and dance. By doing so, it captures the soul of the people andthe passion that has long journeyed its way to freedom. This is story of asurvivor. His name is Solomon Northup.SYPNOPSISIn his home town of Saratoga, New York, Solomon Northup, a free Negro who was a skilledcarpenter and violinist, was approached by two circus promoters. They offered him a brief,high-paying job as a musician with their traveling circus. Without informing his wife, who wasaway at work in a nearby town, he traveled with the strangers to downstate New York andWashington, D.C. Soon after arriving in the capital, he awoke to find himself drugged, bound,and in the cell of a slave pen. When Northup asserted his rights as a free man, he wasbeaten and warned never again to mention his free life in New York.Transported by ship to New Orleans, Northup and other enslaved blacks contractedsmallpox and one died. In transit, Northup implored a sympathetic sailor to send a letter tohis family. The letter arrived safely, but, lacking knowledge of his final destination,Northup's family was unable to effect his rescue.Northup's first owner was William Prince Ford, who ran a lumber mill on a bayou of the RedRiver. Northup subsequently had several other owners, less humane than Ford, during histwelve-year bondage. At times, his carpentry and other skills contributed to his beingtreated relatively well, but he also suffered extreme cruelty. On two occasions, he wasattacked by a white man he was leased to, John Tibeats, and defended himself, for which hesuffered severe reprisals. After about two years of enslavement, he was sold to EdwinEpps, a notoriously cruel cotton planter. Epps held Northup enslaved for 10 years, duringwhich time he assigned the New Yorker to various roles from cotton picker, to hauler todriver, which required Northup to oversee the work of fellow slaves and punish them forundesirable behavior.After being beaten for claiming his free status in the slave pen in Washington, D.C., Northupin the ensuing 12 years did not reveal his true history again to a single person, slave orowner. Finally he confided his story to Samuel Bass, a white carpenter and abolitionist fromCanada. Bass, at great risk to himself, sent letters to Northups wife and friends inSaratoga. A white shopkeeper, Parker, sought the assistance of Henry B. Northup, a whiteattorney and politician whose family had held and freed Solomon Northup's father, andwith whom Solomon had a longtime friendship. Henry contacted New York state officials. Asthe state had passed a law in 1840 to provide financial resources for the rescue of citizenskidnapped into slavery, the governor appointed Henry Northup as an agent to travel toLouisiana and work with law enforcement to free Solomon. Once in Louisiana, Henry Northuphired local Avoyelles Parish attorney, John P. Waddill, to assist in securing SolomonNorthup's freedom. After a variety of bureaucratic measures and searches wereundertaken, the attorney succeeded in locating Solomon and freeing him from theplantation. Northup later filed charges against the men who sold him into slavery but wasunsuccessful. He returned to New York and reunited with his family there.Northup concludes his narrative with the following statement:My narrative is at an end. I have no comments to make upon the subject of Slavery. Thosewho read this book may form their own opinions of the "peculiar institution." What it may bein other States, I do not profess to know; what it is in the region of Red River, is truly andfaithfully delineated in these pages. This is no fiction, no exaggeration. If I have failed inanything, it has been in presenting to the reader too prominently the bright side of thepicture. I doubt not hundreds have been as unfortunate as myself; that hundreds of freecitizens have been kidnapped and sold into slavery, and are at this moment wearing out theirlives on plantations in Texas and Louisiana. But I forbear. Chastened and subdued in spirit bythe sufferings I have borne, and thankful to that good Being through whose mercy I havebeen restored to happiness and liberty, I hope henceforward to lead an upright thoughlowly life, and rest at last in the church yard where my father sleeps.Solomon NorthupANTHONY W JOHNSON, has performed as a soloist in his own right for manyprestigious Ballet/Modern/Opera companies throughout the world including: The LyricOpera of Chicago, Los Angeles Opera Company and Ballet Theatre of Chicago. He hasalso had an exceptional acting career, working in both Chicago and Los AngelesJohnsons creative directing and choreography has been lauded by the likes of MasterMagician Lance Burton, renowned illusion designer Jim Steinmeyer and of whomentertainment writer Diane Monroe of The Beverly Hills Outlook wrote: BalletMagiques Ring of the Rose was the most thoroughly developed work on theprogram; their level of performance was much higher than the others.Mr. Johnson was the original rehearsal director and teacher of the singing group theBackstreet Boys and has toured with the likes of the legendary Sir Paul McCartney, aswell as performed on Arista records 25th Anniversary special with songstress Monica,he can also be seen in several movies like Hoodlum, Black Limousine, Pirates of theCaribbean Dead Mans Chest and The Jacksons An American Dream.As a master teacher, Mr. Johnson has taught dance throughout the United States andabroad, He currently on the dance faculty at IDA, he has spent most of his teachingcareer in Los Angeles at the renowned Millennium Dance Complex, the Los AngelesCounty High School for the Arts, The Edge Performing Arts, Westside School of Balletand the International Dance Academy in Hollywood where he teaches currently. Anthonyhas been a judge for several dance competitions such as Showstoppers Dancecompetition, and I love Dance.Johnson was the featured person of interest in Dance Spirit Magazine, about Lyricaldancers with professional careers with top starsMr. Johnson continues to inspire and mentor students and professionals alike, most ofwhom have gone on to perform with the likes of Janet Jackson, Madonna, AmericanBallet Theatre, School of American Ballet, Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, Alberta Ballet,Cirque Du Soleil, and the incomparable Bjart Ballet Lausanne; On Broadway in The LionKing, The Color Purple, Come Fly Away, and Mama Mia, So you think you can Dance, Dancingwith the Stars, Step 1, 2, & 3 as well countless schools and colleges such as School ofAmerican Ballet, The Boston Ballet School, The Rock School of Ballet, The AileySchool ,Bjart Rudra, Boston Conservatory, and Juilliard to name a few.As The Founder and Director one of what is considered by many, the most uniquecompanies that has ever graced a stage, Ballet Magique, Johnson received four LesterHorton Award nominations for one of the shows he created titled Ring of the Roseincluding Outstanding Achievement in Choreography and Outstanding Achievement inCostume and Lighting Design. 3. The DesignThe Music (Running time 9 Minutes)Illuison DesignAward winning Czech Born illusionistVaclav Havlik12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONRoll Jordan Roll Topsy Chapman feat. Chiwetel Ejiofor and CastSoon AH will be done Conspirare, Company Of Voices, Craig Hella JohnsonSinner Man Alvin AileyMothereless Child Family One ChoirDrums of Kenya Soukouss Ta: African Drums and MusicNight Fight Tan Dun & Yo-Yo MaSolomonVaclav have been performing his illusions around the world for over16years. With nearly 4,000 shows under his belt, he's entertainedeveryone from Hollywood celebrities to CEO's of Fortune 500companies. Vaclav has made a name for himself by combining his uniquestyle, quick wit, and completely original magic and illusion, and is aregular entertainer for corporate and private events, as well as forclubs, theaters, hotels, casinos and colleges.PROJECTION DESIGNS BY RICH MCCARTERJohnson felt strongly that the dance should rining in the ears and hearts ofthe audience long after they have left the theatre. The Negro spiritual which isthe heart and soul of the african american Slaves has its story buried in thehyms the their faith. It is through their faith, It is through that hope that we candiscover Solomon and his passion to live , his patience to endure and his courageto fight.*Spirituals (or Negro spirituals are religious (generally Christian) songs thatwere created by enslaved African people in the United States.Original CastJeremiah Tatum Solomon NorthupAlexander Erickson TebeatsAshley Blanchard PatseyBrandon Forest Bass/Jonus RayChristopher Nolen SamDax Spanogle Edwin EppsDylan Kate Muller EmilyEthan Rieder Benedict Cumberbatch/CaptainJacquelyn Doggette ElizaJadon Cole Muller MichaelJony Rommel Slave BuyerKatina Childs- Muller Slave BuyerLouis Williams ClemensMarcus Hightower JohnNatalie Garavelli Slave BuyerSarah Walker Mistress FordVanessa Villalobos Anna/Mulatto WomanYelena ZerkovskaMistress Epps 4. It was wonderful. Great job!Judith FLEX Helle Director Luminario Ballet12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSON 5. .....amazing! Just beautiful! I was in tears.....that piece wasvery emotional!12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONEmily Pierce 6. 12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONDIRECTOR /CHOREOGRAPHER12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONAbsolutely phenomenal!!! Patrick Stinson Reelz TV 7. 12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONVery powerful piece which does exactly what art should do.Bring out emotions and inspire...Vaclav Havlic Master Magician 8. 12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSON Beautiful!. You had me in tears!Shiva Bagheri 9. 12 Years a SlaveTHE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONBreathtaking! Good job..you were allphenomenal and it was my favorite piece.Krystle Oshon 10. Beautifully choreographed & performed! Loved the 12 Years a Slavecostumes, music and visual projections on the screenbehind the dancers.THE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONMichael Baez 11. 12 Years a Slave Amazing work!!THE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONAllen Walls Director 12. 12 Years a Slave THE DANCEDIRECTOR / CHOREOGRAPHERANTHONY W JOHNSONCompelling storytelling, visuallystunning!Franco Sama Executive ProducerFor More information please contact310-600-1925 and oranthony@balletmagique.com