Like magic, Teller speaks
Teller, the shorter half of the magic duo Penn & Teller, is famous for his laconic performances. It’s a quirky hallmark of the offbeat act that Teller remains silent during even the most raucous routines. But away from the spotlight, Teller likes to talk. On a recent afternoon, on the phone from Las Vegas, where the two-man show has been running for 13 years, the illusionist had plenty to say about co-directing a magic-inspired version of William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” with playwright and director Aaron Posner. “By means of magic tricks, we want the audience to get the same kind of gobsmacked amazement as the characters” said Teller, who helped to oversee a recent four-week run of the show under the big top in Las Vegas. The play opens this weekend at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) and runs through June 15. Captivating magic tricks aren’t the only twists in the production. The...