The Shoemaker’s Son

The Shoemaker’s Son is a powerful, funny, heartbreaking, and ultimately inspiring one-man show written and performed by Greg Kritikos, telling the extraordinary true story of a young Greek immigrant who came to America searching for the American Dream—and discovered that dreams sometimes come with a price.

Born in Athens, Greece, Greg immigrated to the United States with his family in 1971, settling in Astoria, Queens, a neighborhood filled with immigrant families, old-world traditions, and the rough-and-tumble character of New York City.

His family arrived with hope. They believed America would give them the opportunity to build a better life. But everything changed when a devastating accident left Greg’s mother handicapped, placing an enormous burden on the family and forcing Greg to grow up much faster than any child should have to.

Growing up in an Irish-Italian neighborhood as a Greek kid, Greg experienced bullying, prejudice, poverty, family struggles, and the constant feeling of being different. Yet beneath the hardship was a kid with something that would eventually become his greatest weapon: a sense of humor and an instinct for survival.

As Greg grows older, his life takes darker turns. He makes mistakes, gets involved in a world that leads him to prison, and battles addiction. His journey takes him through some of the lowest points imaginable, forcing him to confront the man he has become and the people he has hurt along the way.

Through determination, sobriety, faith, humor, and the willingness to face his past, Greg begins rebuilding his life. The man who once struggled simply to survive eventually discovers a new purpose. He turns his experiences into stories and transforms his pain into entertainment.

Greg goes on to become a Producer, Writer, Actor, and Comedian, proving that a person’s beginning does not have to determine their ending.

Performed entirely by Greg Kritikos, The Shoemaker’s Son takes audiences on an emotional roller coaster—from the streets of Astoria to the darkest chapters of his life and ultimately toward hope, laughter, forgiveness, and second chances.

Greg Kritikos has his answer.
As many times as it takes.

The Shoemaker’s Son is the story of an immigrant family chasing the American Dream, a son trying to survive his circumstances, a man confronting his demons, and an artist who ultimately turns a lifetime of hardship into a story worth telling.