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Penn and Teller are getting old, quite the accomplishment given their hectic schedule. But at 63 and 70, respectively, the two respected magicians are starting to feel the effects of a lifetime of straight-jackets, trap doors, and dodgy tour bus seats. Wisely, the pair have chosen to take five weeks off for a quick health tune up. They’ll be “going dark,” from July 10th through to August 18th.

During that time, Teller will be undergoing spinal fusion surgery to address chronic pain, while Penn will be committing to a medically supervised, water-only fast for the whole five weeks.

Penn explained on Twitter that the fast is meant to help his presumably high blood pressure, and isn’t a weight loss program. Penn has seemingly developed somewhat of a taste for extreme diets. He famously lost over 100 lbs through a strict, vegetable-based diet that began with nothing but potatoes. While extreme diets that cause fast weight loss have a reputation for being unsuccessful in the long term, Penn has managed to beat the odds and maintain a healthy weight of 220 lbs for nearly three years now. He wrote about the experience in his book Presto!

Everyone here at GeniiOnline wishes the duo a fast recovery, and suggest other magicians follow their example. Self-care is an important factor in becoming an old magician rather than a retired magician. Or a dead magician. Take a holiday. 

By the pricking of my thumbs, something magic this way comes. Not content to rule the stages of Las Vegas, magician Teller now turns his eyes toward the the Windy City. He is collaborating on a new production of the great tragedy Macbeth at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Teller won’t actually strut or fret upon the stage, but he is bringing his theatrical and magical talents to the adaptation and direction alongside Aaron Posner. Teller’s chops are likely well-known to readers of GeniiOnline, but Posner’s got a solid CV of his own. He’s directed more than 250 productions and worked with Teller on a rendition of Shakespeare’s The Tempest a few years ago.

The duo talks (yes, Teller does in fact speak in this capacity!) about their vision in the video above, and it sounds like they’re toiling and troubling themselves to create an ambitious take on the Bard’s tale. And yes, there will be a lot of magic involved.

Performances of Macbeth will take place at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater from April 25 through June 24. Screw your courage to the sticking place and buy tickets here.

Attention geeks who like magic and magicians who like geeky things! The Big Bang Theory is wrapping up its eleventh season with a venerable who’s who of pop culture guest stars. Teller, the silent half of Penn & Teller, will be joining the sitcom’s season finale episode without his taller and louder co-star.

Several other guests have been confirmed for the episode, which will feature the wedding of nerd power couple Sheldon, played by Jim Parsons, and Amy, played by Mayim Bialik. Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame and Wil Wheaton of Star Trek fame are among the other known celebrities who will join the episode.

The finale will air on CBS on May 10 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific.