Penn & Teller

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By Leila Navidi · April 8, 2009 · 4:33 p.m.

Aaron Posner and Teller, pictured here Tuesday, March 11, 2014, are co-directing “The Tempest” adapted from the play by William Shakespeare that opens next month at the Smith Center in Symphony Park.

Magic set is larger as Teller’s passion, ‘The Tempest,’ prepares to open at Smith Center: Friday, March 28, 2014; By John Katsilometes; Headliner magician Teller’s fascination with changing reality has not ebbed over the years, and William Shakespeare’s "The Tempest" is a heartfelt project that built steam years ago at the Rio.

The Tenors of Rock with Priscilla Presley after the Tenors' performance at Lounge at the Palms on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013.

Priscilla Presley tracks Tenors of Rock in Vegas; Penn Jillette’s ponytail finds a buyer: Saturday, November 9, 2013; By John Katsilometes; Priscilla Presley showed up at the Lounge at the Palms last Saturday. It was not a random appearance.

Anne Martinez sings during a performance of the Broadway-based open mic and variety show Cast Party on Wednesday, June 19, 2013, at Cabaret Jazz in Smith Center.

‘Dancing Queen’ singer has ‘Pin Up’ underpinnings; Penn & Teller invite ‘Great Tomsoni’ to appearance with Arsenio Hall: Monday, September 16, 2013; By John Katsilometes; Anne Martinez is in her third Las Vegas production show over the past year, “Dancing Queen” at Planet Hollywood.

The Rio headliners Penn & Teller receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, April 5, 2013.

A hot new documentary, a visit to Arsenio and a long-awaited cow act keep Penn & Teller busy: Wednesday, September 11, 2013; By John Katsilometes; Penn & Teller's "Tim's Vermeer" was well-received at Telluride and the Toronto Film Festival. Up next is a trip to Arsenio Hall's new talk show.

Bill Smith of Bill Smith's Magic Ventures at his workshop in Las Vegas on Wednesday, November 7, 2012.

Illusion builder stands behind Las Vegas' top magic acts: Entertainment:; Saturday, November 24, 2012; By Brian Nordli; Bill Smith works in a building surrounded by secrets only he can understand. They’re on his cluttered desk, pieces of graph paper with schematics of boxes and torturous-looking contraptions bursting out of a rack of manila folders. Some are recorded on VHS tapes stacked 10-high on his television to be copied to DVD, for his eyes and his customers’ eyes only.

Penn Jillette on "Celebrity Apprentice."

Penn Jillette to compete on 'All-Star Celebrity Apprentice' for Opportunity Village: Friday, October 12, 2012; By Conor Shine; After a strong showing in last year’s “The Celebrity Apprentice” that netted $40,000 for local charity Opportunity Village, Las Vegas-based entertainer Penn Jillette will be returning to the show for another chance to be “hired” by Donald Trump.

Emotional Penn Jillette presents $40,000 to Opportunity Village on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’: Monday, March 5, 2012; By Ron Sylvester; Penn Jillette erupts as a boisterous stage and television personality, but he grows quiet and emotional as he talks about Las Vegas’ Opportunity Village.

Vegas headliner Penn Jillette leads team to win on 'Celebrity Apprentice': Monday, February 27, 2012; By Ron Sylvester; Penn Jillette advanced to another round of "Celebrity Apprentice" but more importantly raised $40,000 for Las Vegas' Opportunity Village.

An audience member participates in a routine as the punchline of a joke is unfurled during Penn & Teller's show at the Rio. Penn busily recruits audience members at each show.

Discovery Channel's Time Warp slows down Las Vegas stunts: Monday, June 15, 2009; Jennifer Grafiada; You may have seen Penn swallow fire, but you haven’t seen it like this: easing down his throat centimeter by centimeter as the flames emerge from inside his mouth. For a view this good you have to be Teller, or watching Discovery Channel’s Time Warp, which heads to Vegas for this Wednesday’s episode.

"The Girls Next Door" reality television star Holly Madison was among those who walked the red carpet at the CineVegas film festival's premiere of "Saint John of Las Vegas" Wednesday night at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

Stars align for CineVegas: FILM FESTIVAL: Dennis Hopper, Jon Voight, Willem Dafoe, Sam Rockwell among those expected; Thursday, June 11, 2009; By Melissa Arseniuk; While the celebrities might not be exactly lining up for this year’s CineVegas film festival, Las Vegas’ miniature version of Sundance is attracting a decent number of stars both big and small.

Vegas names round out Forbes Top 100 list: Thursday, June 4, 2009; By Amanda Finnegan; A magical team, a longtime illusionist and a cooking legend all represent Las Vegas on Forbes’ annual list of "The World’s Most Powerful Celebrities." The Celebrity 100 is a measure of power based on money and fame.

Nathan Santucci, "Director of Covert Activities" for the Penn & Teller show at the Rio, creates props for the show, which he says is "more like a science lecture" than magic show. "I don't like magic, I don't do magic, I don't go to magic shows," says Santucci, who handles so much stage blood that his hands are permanently dyed red.

Good ‘magic’ is bloody science: Person of Note: Behind the scenes, ‘Director of Covert Activities’ keeps Penn & Teller safe, audiences in awe; Friday, May 1, 2009; By Brendan Buhler; Nathan Santucci has worked for Penn & Teller (hereafter referred to as “the guys”) for 15 years and 2,600 shows, both on stage and television, and for the past nine years has had the G. Gordon Liddy-esque job of “Director of Covert Activities,” which has many responsibilities, chief among them building and maintaining magic props.

Staying power is no trickery: MAGIC: Penn & Teller on their 35-year partnership, charity, religion, vice and the artistic freedom granted by Las Vegas; Wednesday, April 15, 2009; By Jerry Fink; The magic team of Penn & Teller could not be more different — or more alike. Both are brilliant, always exploring thoughts and ideals and holding firmly to their beliefs of atheism and libertarianism.

Penn Jillette performs The Beatles' "Come Together" with the Lon Bronson All-Star Band at Green Valley Ranch on Jan. 29, 2009.

Penn Jillette helps Bronson band create Vegas magic: Review: Foreigner's Domenick Allen also takes stage for show at Green Valley Ranch; Friday, January 30, 2009; By Mark Whittington; Now this is Vegas. “I’m a magician and I’m a juggler, so I’m going to sing for you,” says Penn Jillette, launching into a rambling explanation of how this song was written as the campaign theme for Timothy Leary’s bid for California governor, aborted when Leary ended up in jail.

Penn & Teller: Tricks, gags, laughs, jazz: REVIEW: Spectacle has it all, and it doesn’t disappoint; Monday, January 19, 2009; By Joe Brown; Now that nerds officially rule, and our brainy new president is stocking the White House with similarly intelligent, curious and articulate people, the time has surely come to appoint Penn & Teller as Magicians of State.

Penn & Teller

Occupation: Comedy magic duo
Venue: Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino since 2001.
Official Web page: www.pennandteller.com
Penn Jillette's Twitter page: twitter.com/pennjillette
Years performing: 1975 to present.
Birthdays:Penn Francis Jillette was born March 5, 1955, in Greenfield, Mass. Raymond Joseph Teller was born Feb. 14, 1948 in Philadelphia, Penn.
Early career: Performed as part of a three-man act, with Weir Chrisimer, "Asparagus Valley Cultural Society," doing shows in Amherst, Mass., and San Francisco. Teller used his skills as a magician and mime and Penn used his clowning and juggling skills to create their act.
Breakthrough: After performing on the streets and small clubs, the pair teamed up in 1981 as Penn & Teller. The 6-foot-7 Penn is the vocal half of the duo, while the 5-foot-9 Teller keeps silent during their act. They became acclaimed for their off-Broadway show and in 1985, they won an Emmy for their PBS special, "Penn & Teller Go Public.
Tickets: Vegas.com.

The Kats Report

It's Glenn Beck's turn to be questioned -- by Penn Jillette

Updated May 20, 2009 (12:12 p.m.)

Glenn Beck, forced to cool off his usually manic monologuing, told the Strip headliner that he is not anti-gay and wants us out of Germany and South Korea.

Las Vegas Sun

Penn & Teller

Penn & Teller