EXCLUSIVE: Gianmarco Soresi, one of the 15 emerging comics we said to look out for in 2025, is set to debut his first full-length special, Thief of Joy, on his YouTube channel on September 19th.
Thief of Joy blends Soresi’s signature theatrical flair with deeply personal storytelling. Drawing from his life as a theatre kid turned theatre major, he weaves together intimate anecdotes about his relationship, career, and his parents’ divorce, all delivered in the animated style The New York Times calls “silkily feline physicality and frenetic gesticulation.”
Soresi taped the special at the Elysian Theatre in Los Angeles over five sold-out shows in February. In addition to writing and performing it, he exec produced alongside Tovah Silbermann, Jordan Levy and Alex Goodman. Matt Schuler and Silbermann produced, with Sabrina Diresta and Kyle Stivers serving as associate producers.
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Previously appearing in Netflix’s Verified Standup and putting out the half-hour special Shelf Life, which garnered three New York-area Emmy nominations, Soresi is in the middle of a landmark year. He recently sold out his international Drama King Tour, with a completely booked run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. He also performed in multiple showcases at JFL Montreal, surpassed 1 million followers on YouTube and TikTok, and was named the winner of the crowd work episode of comedy panel game show Dropout: Game Changer.
Based in New York City, Soresi’s material draws on his Jewish and Italian background, his parents’ divorce, and his dating and social life. Previously, he’s also performed sets for Don’t Tell Comedy and Comedy Central, winning Season 8 of Amazon’s Comics Watching Comics. He made his late-night debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden in November 2022 and was selected as a Just For Laughs New Face the same year. As an actor, he’s been seen in Billy Crystal’s Here Today, Netflix’s Bonding, Hustlers opposite Jennifer Lopez and The Last O.G. He’s also the host of the podcast The Downside with Gianmarco Soresi and is represented by Mosaic, WME and Cohen & Gardner.