Some Greeks Are Not in the Restaurant Business
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Lewis
Photo by Ed Krieger
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By Diana Ford
Looking at the name Greg Lewis, one has to wonder what he will know about Greeks. But, alas, as was commonly done, his family name was changed upon arrival at Ellis Island. When Greg imitates his parents with an unmistakably Greek accent, you are more than convinced that he is in fact, very Greek.
Written and performed by Greg Lewis, this one-man show is a ninety-minute, heartwarming look into his life beginning in the streets of Chicago. Two enlarged family photographs on stage, one of his father and the other a family portrait, set the mood for the storytelling of an interesting twist of fate that launched him into a career in show business.
Relaxed in an easy chair with a few props, Greg recounts, sometimes very emotionally,
life in the old days, with his dad working sixteen hours a day at their restaurant. His mastery of accents makes the stories come alive and draws the audience in as though sitting in a living room having a conversation.
Playing the harmonica and being part of the world famous Harmonicats at age fifteen was the start of his varied career. Appropriately, then, we were treated to snippets of “Lady of Spain”, “Peg of My Heart”, and “Flight of the Bumble Bee”, on an assortment of harmonicas that he carefully retrieved from their original boxes. We laughed at the humorous recounts of his days on the Ed Sullivan Show which brought back memories for those of us who religiously watched every week.
It is apparent that through the process of writing and telling this story Greg has seen past the sternness and frequent disapproval by his father and comes to grips with the fact that his father was proud of him even though he did not chose the typical career path that he was expected to take. “You must listen to #26 on the jukebox before you order”, his father would say to a customer. “He is no criminal (as he used to call him); he is a good boy."
Directed by Robert Walden, Some Greeks are Not in the Restaurant Business is an engaging story, simple in its presentation, but not without sincerity and depth.
Some Greeks Are Not in the Restaurant Business presented at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, 245 S. Robertson Blvd., Beverly Hills, runs through September 9th. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at www.camelotartists.com or by calling 310-358-9936.
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