Jack Erbs

Local kids who want to appear in a summer production at the Muny in Forest Park know what it's like to be a "survivor."

They competed with as many as 1,000 other kids before being selected for a part.

Jack Erbs, Elana Estrin, Ellen Ransom and Eddie Szewczyk are among the "survivors" this year. All have parts in at least one show in the Muny's 2001 summer schedule.

(For information about the Muny Kids program, just log on to www.muny.com)

Although these kids range in age from 9 to 13, all of them have been training for the entertainment business for years.

For instance, 10-year-old Jack has been taking dancing lessons for over five years. He also takes piano lessons. He's been in the Muny Kids organization since he was seven.

Jack said he's "thinking of going on Broadway" when he becomes an adult. However, he doesn't know exactly what kind of shows he's like to do.

So far, his Muny parts have involved singing and dancing. But, he said he had an opera solo as the Mock Turtle character in "Alice in Wonderland," performed in Shrewsbury.

He said the size of the role in the play determines how nervous he gets on stage. "I get more nervous when there's a speaking part," he said.

Asked about any members of his family who had an entertainment background, he said, "My grandfather, Edward Erbs, played in the Muny orchestra."

The student at Seven Holy Founders School doesn't limit his activities to play acting. He also likes basketball and volley ball.

Ellen Ransom

Nine-year-old Ellen is another kid with an interest in being on Broadway. As an adult, she said, "I'd either like to be on Broadway or a Christian singer."

She's been taking dancing lessons since she was three. And this is her third year in the Muny kids organization. She's scheduled to be in three shows this summer, "The Wizard of Oz," "An Evening of Gershwin" and "My Fair Lady."

The student at Harvest Ridge Elementary School in St. Charles County said she likes everything about performing. But, she admits she had a little trouble during a performance of "Sound of Music."

In one scene, she was supposed to be lined up from the tallest to the shortest. The tiny Ellen said, "I found myself on the 'tall' end. So. as the number went on, I moved down the line until I got to the right end."

Elana Estrin

Thirteen-year-old Elana has been in Muny Kids for three years. But, she thinks she'd like to be an author or a journalist when she becomes an adult. She said she's written "some small fiction stories" so far.

Her favorite author is J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame. That's a pretty good role model to follow since the former British school teacher is the all-time leader among authors in terms of books sold.

Elana has a role model on a little smaller scale and closer to home. Her brother, 17-year-old Daniel, is an intern in the Muny's publicity department this summer.

Concerning her Muny experience, she said she's appeared in three previous shows and is schedule for two this summer.

Thirteen-year-old Eddie is another Muny Kid who has his eye on a media job when he's an adult. He's already getting some good experience.

Last fall, the student at Blessed Sacrament School in Belleville, Ill., was picked as a kid reporter for the Radio Disney station in St. Louis. He's already had interviews with presidential candidate Al Gore, Illinois congressman Jerry Costello and noted radio and television personality Bob Costas.

Eddie Szewczyk

He also had an interview with cartoon character Buzz Lightyear. But, Eddie said Buzz didn't have much to say and "wasn't a very good interview."

He does about four or five reports for Radio Disney each month. He's had his one-year contract with the station renewed. That's a job that pays him a salary.

Another part of his reporting job involves doing movie reviews for the station.

"I've had a lot of good experiences there," he said. He won the radio job in another mass audition. He won out over 99 other kids who tried out for the reporter post last August.