“Theater Adult” Showcases the Wildly Funny and Engaging Gianmarco Soresi at Joe’s Pub with some Very Special Guests – front mezz junkies, Theater News

The Off-Broadway Theatre Review: Gianmarco Soresi’s Theater Adult

By Ross

Holding high his degree in imagination, Gianmarco Soresi, a theater kid turned wildly funny stand-up comedian, delivered another installment of his Theater Adult, a ridiculously engaging fun night of interview, musical theater, and comedy, this time at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater, NYC. I walked into the space exhausted, sleepy, and in need of a lie-down, wondering how I was going to make it through another show this weekend, but that feeling was quickly wiped away within minutes of Soresi’s opening act, Awkward Marina and her magnificent mashup of pop and musical theatre. Wicked fun, it filled me with some sort of hope for the night, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Comedian Gianmarco Soresi (59E59 Theaters’ Less Than 50%), getting super theatrically specific here in this NYC installment of Theater Adult delivers the goods without pause. He’s sharply funny and on it, engaging with the audience and their hopes and dreams, and their failures. As stated in the press release, his “attendees will be in for an evening that blends the joy, drama, and nostalgia of theater with the wit and humor of Gianmarco Soresi.” Not knowing what that would look like, I was jolted awake by his mad sharp comedic mind, instantly engaging his and our deep love for the world of musical theatre.

“This show is a love letter to everyone who’s ever been bitten by the theater bug,” says Soresi. “It’s about those moments of pure joy when the spotlight hits, the friendships forged in the wings, and the times when our passion for performing made us who we are today. Whether you’re still on stage or just reminiscing about the glory days, Theater Adult is a place to laugh, sing, and celebrate that part of yourself.”

He dives into an interactive dance, drawing out personal musical theater experiences of audience members and mixing them in with his own as he navigates what it means to be a Theater Adult – “on a hilarious and heartfelt journey through the highs and pitfalls of a life colored by the stage“. Tied up tight on a stool like a pretzel waiting to explode, Soresi celebrates the theater kid in us all, while also drawing us close with one-liners that resonate while also making us laugh. His stories infiltrate our funny bones and our collective hearts, mainly because it’s so easy to join with him in both his love and his frustration with the world of musical theatre.

Joined on the stage by the phenomenally talented Hannah Solow, the understudy for Cole Escola and his Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary! on Broadway, who is soon to get her opportunity to shine on November 11 and 13 in that fantastically funny play (for info and tickets, click here), the two unpack with a few songs and stories of what it means to grow into a Theater Adult, with the fantastical accompaniment of pianist Adam Cole Klepper (currently working on Broadway’s Gypsy). The tales of theatrical triumphs and let-downs candidly and humorously engage, bringing energy and joy into my heart, like it also seems to do for Soresi apparently as I watch how he glowingly watches Solow sing her heart out. It’s exactly what I needed on that Sunday night. A few showstopping numbers, like those two from Guys and Dolls, and some loving stories of the true life trials and tribulations when following your heart, your passion, and your dream are just the uplift I needed that night. Or any night for that matter, and when this theatrical celebration comes around again, I hope I’m in the audience to lap up that fun, along with that delicious Mezcal Old Fashioned that also did its magic on me last night at Joe’s Pub. And I’m not trying to be diplomatic.

For more information, visit GianmarcoSoresi.com or follow him on all social media at @gianmarcosoresi.