In stand-up comedy, everyone starts out as a "nobody," unknown to the general public and hustling to catch the break-out moment.

The "Nobodies of Comedy" intends to change the fortunes of some of the best up and coming young comics. The popular comedy franchise assembles a small group of comics who are highly-regarded yet virtually unknown.

The annual "Nobodies of Comedy" tour makes a stop at 8 p.m. May 2 at the State Theatre Center for the Arts, Easton.

This year's installment, the 13th year for its stop at the State Theatre, showcases four comedians: Mike Speirs, Tim Krompier, Tom Ryan and Ralph Tetta.

Speirs gave up a full-time teaching position three years ago and moved to New York City to pursue stand-up full-time. He has been part of the "Nobodies of Comedy" tour on and off for the past few years.

"I've been doing comedy, I guess, like, eight years and change," Speirs says during a phone interview.

"I used to be a teacher, so I taught and did stand-up simultaneously for five or six years. Then I quit teaching and moved to New York City to do it full-time."

"I love doing stand-up, If you had told me five years ago that I was going to quit my teaching job and move to New York City to do this full-time I would have said, 'Yeah, I don't know about that.' "

"It's a neat concept," Speirs says of the "Nobodies" tour. "I think they [the show's producers] came up with it kind of when all those 'blanks of comedy' tours were really in full-swing. There was the 'Kings of Comedy,' the "Blue-Collar Comedy Tour,' all that kind of stuff. The concept behind it ['Nobodies'] was that it's great comedians, the funniest people out there that you just haven't heard of yet."

Alumni of the "Nobodies" tour include most notably Jim Gaffigan, a well-known nationally headlining comedian who regularly appears on network late-night TV talk shows and who has had acting roles in television and film. Gaffigan is also a New York Times best selling-author with two books to his credit.

"The shows ['Nobodies of Comedy'] are always great. They are always in beautiful venues, great theaters and really good lineups," Speirs says. "So anytime I get called to do one I've always done it because they are always great shows."

Speirs' comedy style can be described as good naturedly self-deprecating. His comedy reflects on his life experiences as a thirtysomething man.

"I like to do some longer form stuff, a kind of storytelling," he explains. "I've never been like a one-liner punch kind of guy."

A quick glance at Speirs' calendar this summer shows steady bookings in clubs primarily around the Northeastern states from Delaware to Maine and even a few stops in the Outer Banks region of North Carolina, as well as Chicago.

"I'm kind of open to anything that comes along in show business," Speirs says. "I wouldn't close out anything but my main focus is just right now on stand-up, continuing to get better and trying to keep creating opportunities for myself, progressing in the business."

Speirs urges audiences to take an opportunity to check out the current crop of "Nobodies."

"There's so many comedians working and so many really good ones that just haven't popped yet or aren't at that Gaffigan, Brian Regan kind of level where everybody's heard of them, but they'll do a great job so it's kind of fun to go see that.

"It's a great show. You know, sometimes people are less inclined to go out to comedy shows now if they haven't seen the people on TV or if they are not famous," he says. "These are really great shows top to bottom. I think it's a good price and it's a great theater to see a show, so I would just encourage people to go out and see it."

Tickets: State Theatre Box Office, 453 Northampton St., Easton; statetheatre.org, 1-800-999-STATE, 610-252-3132