Ian Belknap is a writer/performer living in Chicago. He is the Founder and Overlord of Write Club, the world’s greatest competitive reading series, now in five North American cities. Write Club is an all-volunteer enterprise that gives a portion of show proceeds to charity. Ian also serves as the Dean of Mean at The Paper Machete. Ian is a former cast member of The Encyclopedia Show and has performed at virtually every Live Lit show in Chicago. His highly-regarded live memoir show Wide Open Beaver Shot of My Heart: A Comedy With a Body Count debuted in the Rhino Theater Fest and was later produced at The Neo-Futurists. He is curator/host of the shows Something Wicked This Way Comes (seven deadly sins-themed monologues), which appeared at Rhino Fest and later at The Garage at Steppenwolf, and Ian’s Dog & Pony Show which gathered solo performers, improv, sketch, and stand-up in a comedy mashup. Ian is writer/peformer of the solo shows Bring Me the Head of James Franco, That I May Prepare a Savory Goulash in the Narrow and Misshapen Pot of His Skull, Terminal Ferocity, and Uncle Dad is Ripshit, You Guys.  FUN FACT: Live Lit is a term COINED BY IAN BELKNAP.