Gianmarco Soresi released his 2025 stand-up special Thief of Joy on Sept. 19, delivering what many consider the best debut of his career. The 67-minute set blends early, punchline-heavy material with longer, more reflective stories and a brisk, socially aware sensibility that has become his signature. “This was a real amalgamation of chunks from my first year, bigger stories that have been fine-tuned over the years and bits from the last six months,” Soresi told The Post in an exclusive interview.
The special covers a broad arc—from personal stories about his ailing father to a much younger girlfriend, a controversial tattoo, and a showstopping Law and Order act‑out that pairs gallows humor with mundane observations. Soresi says the project is designed to introduce new audiences to his range: “If you didn’t know me, this is your intro to my taste, who I am, how I feel, and a good preview of what you’re going to get if you ever see me live.” He describes it as an amalgam of years’ worth of material and a new sense of distance on current events, built to give viewers the live‑show experience in audio form while reflecting how his humor has evolved.
Even as the special drops, Soresi is hitting the road with a national tour through December 2025, performing across the country with a mix of theaters and clubs. The itinerary includes five shows at Buffalo’s Helium Comedy Club from Sept. 25–27 and six shows at Philadelphia’s Punch Line from Oct. 9–11, among stops that stretch coast to coast. A complete calendar of dates, venues and ticket links is typically circulated by his team, and Soresi has stressed that the road work will be a full‑show experience rather than a pared‑down, crowd‑work‑heavy set. “I’m going to put on a full show,” he told The Post, describing a balance between high‑energy movement and tightly written material that he hopes translates to audiences everywhere.
Ahead of the release, Soresi spoke at length about how he builds a set and keeps material fresh. He records every set and uses a transcription app to mine the text for new ideas, then organizes material across three Word documents: a finished library, a current works in progress file, and a 180‑page stash of stray thoughts that may never see the stage. He also emphasized that he plans to retire the material from Thief of Joy as he writes new material for the road, signaling a shift toward topics like artificial intelligence, modern relationships and the broader philosophical questions of marriage and parenting. “I’m retiring all the material from this special,” he said, signaling a pivot toward fresh material that still bears his voice.
In the interview, Soresi described how crowd work fits into his broader approach and how the show’s format varies by venue. He noted that in a theater setting, audience members at the back may have trouble hearing, but he still seeks moments of improvisation that feel dangerous and shared. He also reflected on what draws fans to his live performances: a sense of movement on stage, a fast pace, and a willingness to push ideas and boundaries while keeping the core material sharp. He added that his audience skews younger and includes many neurodivergent viewers, a dynamic he said informs his delivery and timing. Looking ahead, he said the road remains open for new opportunities, whether a next hour of material, film work with collaborators, or TV pitches, underscoring that the work of a comedian in 2025 is as much about versatility as it is about craft.
As for specific pieces he hoped to land or projects he’s pursuing, Soresi teased that he’s open to high‑profile acting opportunities and veteran writers’ rooms, even as he contends with the unpredictable nature of auditions and what roles get made. He recalled a handful of near‑misses from earlier in his career, including multiple auditions for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and an All‑White Roots cover band role for Orange Is the New Black that never came to be, noting the sometimes strange paths performers navigate in show business. He shared a humorous anecdote about a private roast in his early days when a host’s guestlines crossed a line, illustrating the learning curve of performing for real‑world crowds who push back when jokes land—positively or negatively.
Beyond Thief of Joy, Soresi indicated that he could feasibly film another hour soon if it aligned with his goals, but he’s also pursuing TV pitches and film projects with collaborators. He’s committed to touring aggressively through the end of 2025 and into 2026, balancing live performance with ongoing writing and development. “This is every comedian’s conundrum now,” he said, describing the need to continually evolve while maintaining the energy and voice that draw audiences to his shows. His overarching aim is to keep growing as a performer and maintain the intimate, personal approach that his fans have come to expect.