Penn & Teller return to their namesake Las Vegas theater at the Rio
Penn & Teller returned to the Las Vegas stage, nearly two months after back surgery forced Teller to take a break.
The iconic magicians returned to the stage Saturday night in the theater named for them at the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino.
“I thought there was an especially long welcoming applause at the beginning of the show,†Teller said. “The energy that the love of the audience provides you with is quite overwhelming.â€
For a 70-year-old magician, back surgery could be a good excuse to retire. But partner Penn Jillette, 63, and Teller have no such intentions. They used their comeback from a 50-day hiatus to announce a three-year extension to their contract.
Penn & Teller have been performing their comedic magic show at the off-Strip resort since 2001. They first began working together 43 years ago.
Penn & Teller soon will be introducing new content to keep the show fresh.
“I suspect within two or three weeks, there will be three new pieces in the show,†Teller said. “We’ll probably put them into the show one at a time.â€
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Teller, the short half of the duo, said he has been cleared to return to work. Still it will take several more months for his back to heal.
“There’s nothing, I think, that heals you more than the act of creating something new,†he said. “Collaborating with other people and creating something new, there’s just this kind of amazing, satisfying, exuberant energy.â€
Penn & Teller perform 9 p.m. Saturdays through Wednesdays. Tickets cost from $75 to $95.
With at least three years of shows in the offing and his back on the mend, Teller clearly is not contemplating retirement.
“The problem with the idea of retirement is, what would I retire to?†he said. “I don’t know what I would do that I would enjoy more.â€
Info: Penn & Teller Theater in Rio Las Vegas
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