Authorial Authorness:
Sean Shank is a celebrated humorist from Northcentral Indiana. Over the last two decades he has written for the freelance industry (most notably as the lead writer for the ‘Top Ten Scariest Homes for Sale’ list from 2012-2017), professional media as a TV Producer and managing editor for a weekly newspaper, and he has taught ‘Couch to Stage’ Humor in Writing classes all over the country, most recently to the graduate program at Johns Hopkins University. He is a college professor, thirty-year comedy veteran, author, grant writer for two nonprofits, wrestling coach, and avid archer. When not writing he is learning the craft of blacksmithing, performing stand-up comedy, teaching a community writing workshop, enjoying his family, or playing with his hedgehogs Cranky Frankie and Reggie the Hedgie.
Comedy Bio:
Sean Shank began his comedy career in the Midwest as a house MC for Crackers Comedy Clubs and a writer for humor publications and other comedians. After only a year of putting in work, he began performing at clubs around the country. Over the years he has evolved from a set-up and punch comedian to one who has cultivated a friendly, measured, storytelling-style that helps him find common ground among audiences from New York to New Mexico.
His set centers around family life, his college experiences, relationship woes and wins, growing up an isolated and poor country kid, and the things that confuse him. Sean’s ultra-friendly style on stage makes him likeable, and relatable, to audiences. He gets big laughs as a headliner and feature wherever he goes by peppering his stories with quick jokes leading up to massive punches at the end!
Sean has been on CBS Stand-up Spotlight, Showtime’s Comedy on the Road, Night Shift, Starmakers, Def Jam, and he was a five-time Laughfest Pro selection. He has worked with Bobcat Goldthwait, Jeff Dunham, Carlos Mencia, Dave Attell, D.L. Hughley, Christopher Titus, Ron White, Doug Stanhope, Davin Rosenblatt, Kevin Downey Jr., Dave Landau, Robert Day, Greg Hahn, Mike Armstrong, Bob Zany, Larry Reeb, Mike Birbiglia, Dustin Diamond, Pauley Shore, Ralphie May, and many others.
Sean has a BA in English and Creative Writing and a Master’s in Writing and Teaching Writing from Johns Hopkins University. As a published author he has completed six novels, a multitude of articles, and an anthology of short stories. Currently he resides in Northern Indiana with his family, two hedgehogs (Frankie and Reggie), and spends his days grant writing for two nonprofits and teaching writing at two colleges.
Clubs:
Zanies (Chicago) – Crackers (Keystone, Downtown, Broadripple) – Funny Bone (Mishawaka, South Bend, Sioux Falls, Omaha, Indianapolis) – Morty’s (Indianapolis) – One Liner’s (Greenwood) – Comedy Caravan (Louisville) – Punchline (Atlanta) – Connexions (Toledo) – Jester’s (Lima) – Jr’s Last Laugh (Erie) – Downtown Comedy Connection (South Bend, Elkhart, Indianapolis) – Laugh Comedy Club (Granger, South Bend, Mishawaka) – Russo’s (Flint) – Comedy Castle (Detroit) – Joey’s (Livonia) – Go Bananas (Cincinnati) – Fort Wayne Comedy Club (Fort Wayne) - Snickerz (Fort Wayne) – Tulsa Comedy Club (Tulsa) - Logansport Holiday Inn Comedy Club (Logansport) – Bear’s Place (Bloomington) – Dr. Grins (Grand Rapids) – Stir Crazy Comedy Club (Glendale), Underground Laugh Lounge (Niles), Wiley’s (Dayton), Uptown Comedy Club (Brenton)
Theaters:
State Theater (Logansport, IN) – Bristol Opera House and Theater (Bristol, IN) – Long Center for the Performing Arts (Lafayette, IN) – Century Center (South Bend, IN) – The Bendix Theater (South Bend, IN) – Holland Theater (Bellefontaine, OH) – Paramount Theater (Anderson, IN) – South Bend Civic Theater (South Bend, IN) – Fort Wayne Civic Theater (Fort Wayne, IN) – Clyde Theater (Fort Wayne, IN) – Plainwell Auditorium (Plainwell, MI) – 10 West Theater (Indianapolis, IN) – Youngstown Theater (Youngstown, OH) – Potawatomi Casino (Milwaukee, WI) – Kewadin Casino (St. Ignace, MI)
Corporate Clients:
Walmart, Bob Evans, Home Depot, WNDU, Brandywine School Systems, Lippert Components, EFP, Plainwell School Systems, Indiana Superintendents Union, Yellowstone Trailfest, Nappanee Christian Church, Deer Creek Presbyterian.