When I found out about Actor and Comedian Gianmarco Soresi's show Theater Adult, I knew I had to speak with him because it blends together, two of my favorite art forms, stand-up comedy and theatre.

Plus, the press release stated, "it's a celebration of the theatre kid in all of us." With a description like that, how could I not be interested 😂

Theater Adult is returning to Joe's Pub with a brand new installment on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 8:30pm! Click here for tickets!

In this interview, Gianmarco answered my call to share:

• How he came up with the concept for Theater Adult
• What audiences should know about this show
• The first show that made him fall in love with musical theatre
• The most challenging show he has starred in
• So much more

Connect with Gianmarco: Website, Facebook, Instagram 

Theater Adult is more than just a show; it’s a celebration of the theater kid in all of us. Whether you were the lead in your high school’s production of Les Mis or the chorus member who stole the show with a single line, this night is for you. With stories that range from first auditions to final bows, Gianmarco brings his signature comedic style to explore what it means to carry the passion for performance into adulthood.

Joining him on stage will be a lineup of Broadway and Off-Broadway stars, sharing their own tales of theatrical triumphs and tribulations. Expect show-stopping duets, candid interviews, and the kind of humor that only someone who’s been both the star and the understudy can deliver.

Gianmarco Soresi performing stand up comedy
Photo Credit: Dalvin Nichols

1. On October 20 you will be returning to Joe's Pub in NYC for another installment of Theater Adult. Let's go back to the beginning for a moment, how did you first come up with the concept for Theater Adult? I saw an interview with Josh Groban where he shared a video of him playing Tevye in 8th grade and I thought how fascinating it is to see a performer you admired when they were a kid, unpolished, and in many cases doing a role they never should have done in the first place. That moment combined with all the conversations I’ve had with other poor souls who went to theater camps or got degrees in musical theater made me think there might be a live show concept there. But it was only after receiving numerous complaints from listeners of my podcast, The Downside, that I kept going on too many theater tangents with the guest, did I realize I needed this show to become a reality, if only for their sakes.

2. What will be different about this edition of Theater Adult than its first installment? We’re expanding this edition to include an opening act (Awkward Marina) who will be showing what a Charlie XCX musical would look like, I’ll be doing more crowd work with a theater bent (and our accompanist is ready in case I find an audience member willing to recreate one of their early roles, and then of course there will be a brand new guest (Hannah Solow, currently in Broadway’s Oh, Mary!) with new stories, clips and songs of course.

3. For someone who has never attended Theater Adult, what should they know about the show before attending? They should know that I’m a comedian and this isn’t all just a musical love fest! I want to talk about the hard times, the rejections, the emotionally unstable acting teachers, this show isn’t Chicago The Musical, it’s the actors hired to dress up like they’re characters from Chicago handing out flyers in Times Square.

4. The evening is a celebration of the theatre kid in all of us. What was the first theatrical show you saw that made you fall in love with theatre? I’m sorry to say, but the first big show I ever saw was Mamma Mia! And mamma mia, did I have fun. I’m sure if my dad had known what it would have done to my soul, he would have opted to take me to Yankees stadium instead.

Gianmarco Soresi, Photo Credit: Todd Rosenberg

5. You also mention Theater Adult is about the friendships forged in the wings. How did you form a friendship with someone from being in the theatrical wings together? I have a group of friends that I did a borderline abusive acting company with right after college and there’s something about admiring/fearing a teacher that, like a cult, creates a bond you can’t get anywhere else. Plus the shows that we got costumed up for only to cancel because no audience showed up. Or even worse, the time only my dad was in the audience. It’s nice to share a passion for the arts, but real friendship is forged in tragedy.

6. In the show, you also talk about the highs and lows of a life colored by the stage. What was your favorite theatrical show you starred in? What made it such a wonderful experience? Playing Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors junior year of high school because it was before I knew I couldn’t really sing or dance or act. I got to belt, I got to do scenes with a giant puppet, I got to watch a dentist die, and then I got eaten, it’s hard to think of a more fun role.

7. What was your most challenging theatrical show? Why was it so challenging? I was in a play off-off-off-off-off-Broadway called Buzz for a six week run that was critically (and understandably) panned. There was something so brutal about starting a show that you couldn’t change knowing the hopeful audience at the beginning of the show would ultimately leave disappointed. The inflexibility of theater and the powerlessness I had as an actor ultimately led me to pursue stand-up.

Gianmarco Soresi performing on Netflix's Verified Stand-Ups
Photo courtesy of Netflix

8. In addition to theatre, you are also a stand-up comedian. How do you feel your theatrical background helped shape your stand-up comedy? I think my acting abilities lend me an extra tool for misdirection. I’m not up there doing Stanislavski, but I can sometimes convince an audience I’m being sincere in a way that lets me really pull the rug out from underneath them. 

Only in the last few years have I finally found ways to authentically connect my old training, whether it’s staging or musicality or movement, in a way that doesn’t feel counter to the general ‘coolness’ it helps a comedian to portray.

9. What do you get from stand-up comedy that you don't get from performing in a theatrical show? I get autonomy. I can reflect how I’m actually feeling, I can discuss what I’m inspired by, that said, I can break away from the script and talk to the crowd if it feels warranted, I am responsible for how the night goes. There’s a loneliness with making art like that, but it beats being in the ensemble.

10. What is something we didn't get to talk about in this interview that you'd like my audience to know about you? You pretty much covered it! If you love (and sometimes hate) theater, come see the show and whether you had a theater kid childhood or you longed for one but your parents (wisely) prevented you, it’ll be a good time.

Gianmarco Soresi, Photo Credit: Mindy Tucker

More on Gianmarco Soresi:

Gianmarco Soresi is a New York based stand-up comedian, actor, and creator known for his sharp societal observation and spry, energetic stage presence. Gianmarco Soresi’s The Leaning In Tour has spanned over 75 shows booked in more than 24 cities across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia, including Los Angeles sold-out shows, Chicago, DC, and Pittsburgh. More than half the shows on his European tour sold out. In addition, Gianmarco continues his celebrated recurring show in NYC, The Silver Lining, and live podcast recordings of The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi with co-host Russell Daniels and special guests. Gianmarco also has a set on Netflix’s Verified Stand-Up, which premiered globally on November 28, 2023.

Gianmarco effortlessly commands a room with his animated style, blending upbeat candor with dark comedic beats — which has garnered him critical acclaim from NPR, Esquire, The Atlantic, Buzzfeed, ABC News, and many more. He’s performed stand-up on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Comedy Central, Don’t Tell Comedy, The Real Housewives of New York, and was selected as a JFL New Face in 2022. Gianmarco has also acted in Billy Crystal's Here Today, Netflix’s Bonding, Hustlers, and The Last OG.