MARK NUTTER grew up in a motel near Joliet, Illinois, which is not as glamorous as it sounds. He acquired a taste for absurd comedy in the womb. Mark is the author of Giant Banana Over Texas: Darkly Humorous Tales, Dancer on the Ceiling: More Darkly Humorous Tales, and Sunset Cruise on the River Styx: Dark, Absurd Tales. He’s been published in Jokes Review, HAVOK Magazine, Mystery Weekly, Dear Leader Tales, and The Daily Drunk. He’s the winner of both the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and the LA Weekly Theater Award for the music & lyrics for ReAnimator: The Musical. Mark wrote the music & lyrics and cowrote the book for The Bicycle Men, named Outstanding Overall Production at the New York International Fringe Festival. With Cynthia Carle he created Christmas Smackdown. (www.christmassmackdown.com). Mark has also written for television (SNL, 3rd Rock from the Sun) and film (Almost Heroes starring the late Chris Farley). www.marknutter.com.