Penn &

teller
teach the art of
MAGIC

masterclass
 penn & teller
chapter one
meet penn & teller
Penn & Teller have been performing together for over
forty years. In the late 1970s, they were part of a trio
called The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society that
performed in several cities around the country, including
a three-year run in San Francisco.
They started performing as a duo in 1981, and in 1985
they did their first off-Broadway show. This was quickly
followed by a series of six appearances on Saturday Night
Live and over twenty performances on The Late Show
with David Letterman.
Since then, they have had national tours, two successful
Broadway runs, hundreds of TV appearances, including
several of their own TV specials and shows in the United
States and the UK, including Bullshit! and Fool Us, which
is currently in its sixth season. Having performed at the
Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino since 2001, they are now
the longest-running headlining act in Las Vegas history.
They have written three books that teach magic and
have a popular magic kit called “Fool Everybody.”
All of which is our way of telling you that, over the years,
they’ve thought about magic a lot. And they have a
lot to share with you, no matter how much or how little
previous experience you have had with magic.
masterclass * 2
No matter your personality, no matter your strengths
and weaknesses, you can amaze people with magic.
It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, silly or serious,
bombastic or subtle, there is an area of magic perfectly
suited to your style and interests. Magic is a diverse
art form that draws upon all branches of human
knowledge: physics, chemistry, psychology, mechanical
engineering, optical illusions, mathematics, art,
architecture, nearly all the performing arts (acting,
comedy, mime, dance, music), and many more. Which
means there is an entry point for almost anyone, and a
never-ending spectrum of things to explore.
If you’ve never done any magic in your life, this is a good
place to start. You will learn tricks that you will be able
to perform and surprise your friends and family.
If you already do some magic, you’ll be able to incor-
porate the ideas Penn & Teller discuss into the tricks
you already do. And maybe you will learn a trick or two
you’re not already familiar with.
penn & teller
Even if you have no intention of ever performing magic,
you will still get a kick out of this MasterClass. The
thinking and psychology at play in magic are interesting
in and of themselves, and can be applied to other areas
of your life. Learning about magic helps develop an
understanding of how people think and knowledge of
human perception. It helps develop unorthodox thinking
and unconventional problem solving, as well as disci-
pline, and creativity. In the age of information, it’s easy
to forget that there is a difference between information
and knowledge. With politicians, “news” organizations,
advertisers, clergymen, scam artists, social media plat-
forms, and unethical “friends” attempting to deceive
you almost continuously, learning magic can help. The
study of the art form devoted to deception has a way of
sharpening one’s ability to recognize deceptions that are
less benevolent.
masterclass * 3
chapter one
If you are new to magic, we have to warn you:. When
you are first shown how a magic trick works, it’s almost
always disappointing. The secrets behind magic tricks
are usually unimpressive. Very little magic relies on
technology newer than theatrical lighting, or is more
sophisticated than something you could build in a high
school shop class.
But when you start to study magic—even if you don’t
perform any of it—and you start to get a sense of
everything that goes into it, from the history of the
moves or plots, to the technology that is incorporated,
the physical skill required, the acting, and psychology,
the next time you see a magic show, you will appreciate
it on a much deeper and richer level.