Greg Jones Ellis
I Opened for Barry Manilow’s Mother
Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, June 30, 2022
Reviewed by Bart Greenberg.
Yes, he really did open for Barry Manilow’s mother, who turned out to be a fan of his mother’s local cable show. This was just one of the many funny autobiographical show-biz tales that Greg Jones Ellis shared with his audience at Don’t Tell Mama. The multi-talented gentleman—not just a performer, but also a lyricist for both his own and others’ melodies, and a music arranger—had the audience under his spell from his first moments on stage with a funny chaotic version of “Ah, Paris!” utilizing a less than accommodating globe. This was just the first of unlikely interpretations of classic Broadway tunes, such as “Any Place I Hand My Hat Is Home” and “Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please,” all of which became personal statements for the singer.
Early in his career, Ellis spent a lot of time performing in summer stock. To bring the audience along on that journey, he offered up a medley of his personal numbers from the many shows he appeared in—with a recurring “Put On Your Sunday Clothes” marking the multitude of productions he found himself in. It was delightfully constructed and delightfully delivered. He offered up the darker side of his personality with an outrageous homicidal rewrite of the Brel/Ron McKuen “If You Go Away” called “If You Walk Away” and his pensive side with a thoughtful rendition of the rare “I Don’t Think I’m in Love” from Walking Happy.
The evening allowed him to reunite with his former show biz partner, Liz Stone, as they shared memories of their early times in cabaret and their personalized lyrics to “I Remember It Well.” Another major contributor to the show was music director/pianist Woody Regan, who brought his veteran experience and fine musicality to the stage. But Ellis was the definite star of the night, with charming delivery of classics like “You’re a Builder Upper” and a waltzing “Tea for Two,” as well as his engaging original compositions, such as “Brooklyn Heights” and “Bowie,” which reflected his life as he told his story.
Rounding up the show with the perfect balance of an original song, “Meet Me Around the Corner,” and another Broadway inexplicable rarity, Raisin’s “A Whole Lotta Sunlight,” left the show with a mix of optimism and humor. What a lovely way to return to the real world.
