On April 4, Case Western Reserve University hosted its annual Spring Comedian event, welcoming Gianmarco Soresi to Severance Hall. Soresi—known for his growing social media presence and appearances on “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” Comedy Central and “The Real Housewives of New York”—charmed the audience with quick wit and an extravagant sense of humor. Even before he could take the stage, though, comedians Ty Colgate and LeClerc Andre delighted the audience with laughter-filled recounts of childhood trauma and relationship troubles in entertaining opening acts. We sent some members of The Observer team to get the inside scoop on the night.
Hannah Johnson, Opinion Editor: 4.5/5 stars
Soresi was the first comedian I’ve ever seen live, so going into the experience, I wasn’t sure I’d find myself laughing. Despite this hesitation, first opener Colgate quickly won me over with his brief set, delivering a series of self-deprecating jokes that managed to be funnier than they were depressing and effortlessly warmed up the crowd. When Soresi took the stage, he kept the audience on their toes, energetically bounding around to act out parts of his set and leaning in conspiratorially to emphasize key points, leaving everyone in stitches. He catered well to his nerdy college crowd, poking fun at theater and cognitive science majors through quick-witted audience interactions and making sure there was never a dull moment in his responses. Most notably, he took a political turn in his set, briefly calling out CWRU’s controversial protest policy. However, he expertly followed this shift with lighter humor, creating a space for the audience to reflect on heavier topics without the mood becoming too tense. The balance of insightful commentary and unpredictable, out-of-pocket comments kept the energy high and the show from losing momentum. By the end of the night, I was left with a newfound appreciation for live comedy.
Kethan Srinivasan, Social Media Content Creator: 5/5 stars
UPB’s choice for Spring Comedian this year pulled no punches with his rapid timing and sharp wit. I was already familiar with Soresi’s material, including his endless hatred for his Italian father and his brief discussions on current affairs. But having the chance to watch him perform in person was an even more delightful experience than I originally thought. Onstage, Soresi was quick on the uptake, narrating stories from both his childhood and his daily life with an animated quality that kept the audience’s attention glued to him. At times you could see his musical theater background shining through, something that he often referenced and used as a springboard to shout out to like-minded audience members, whether that be theater majors or Footlighters members. Multiple moments of crowd work were sprinkled throughout, such as poking fun at sports, mocking cognitive science majors, using AI and discussing the repercussions of having an unfortunate birthdate. Andre and Colgate were also stellar opening acts with humor that managed to self-deprecate while also eliciting raucous laughter from the house.
Shivangi Nanda, Executive Editor: 4.25/5 stars
This year’s UPB Spring Comedian event was, without a doubt, the best one I’ve attended. LeClerc was just the opener we needed, bringing fresh humor to the stage with unconventional jokes about his short-lived stint in jail and dealing with his “first wife.” Soresi then made our $5 tickets well worth the price with animated storytelling and effortless crowd work that had the entirety of Severance laughing without respite. Having heard very little of Soresi before UPB’s announcement, I was impressed by the diversity of his material and how he managed to tailor jokes to appeal to a college audience. His shoutouts to Jews for Radical Liberation were welcome additions to the set, demonstrating not only his passion for telling great jokes but also connecting with his audience. Between stories of his time at theater camp to his ADHD diagnosis, Soresi provided a performance that was thought-out, fast-paced, engaging and, most of all, well-deserving of laughter.
Darcy Chew, Sports Editor: 4/5 stars
As a first-time attendee of UPB’s Spring Comedian event, it was a surprisingly enjoyable experience. The three comedians covered a wide variety of jokes across generations, meaning there was bound to be a joke that resonated with all of CWRU’s diverse community. To kick off the night, Colgate and Andre began with humorous personal stories covering parental relationships and partners that brought laughter ringing through Severance. Later in the evening, Soresi came onto the stage with thunderous applause as the CWRU and local community welcomed the event’s headliner. What made Soresi’s performance stand out above the rest was his interactions with the audience as they shared anecdotes of their own. Another key factor that elevated his performance was his body language on stage, most likely stemming from his musical theatre background. His movements and facial expressions were comical and exaggerated as he dramatized mundane events. Soresi was also daring with his jokes as he tackled complex affairs such as the current political landscape and impending graduation for fourth-year students. To me, the most memorable moment of the night came from his witty line about the university painting over protesters. My only minor critique was that the transitions between Soresi’s jokes were rather abrupt. However, the night was an overall much-needed dose of laughter before upcoming exams and finals.