A Few Words With Elijah Ostrow, Child Actor Featured in the 5th Avenue's Production of Whistle Down the Wind

It seems like we've been seeing a lot of plays lately with children in them. Into the Woods at the 5th Avenue had kids, and Whistle Down the Wind at the 5th Avenue and A Christmas Carol at the ACT both do.

We wondered, who are these child actors? How do they find time to act when there is so much television to watch? So we had a short chat via email with Elijah Ostrow, a 6th-grader at Washington Middle School (which just happens to be our alma mater).

Elijah (or Master Ostrow, if you prefer) takes classes at Seattle Children's Theater, and has appeared in some independent films, but his turn in the children's choir in Whistle Down the Wind, which closes this weekend at the 5th Avenue, is his first professional gig.

Seattlest: How does it work with the performances and class and stuff? Do you go downtown right after class and hang out at the theater, or what?

EO: I take the school bus home and then either get a ride or take the bus to the theater.

Seattlest: Who are your favorite teachers at Washington?

EO: My favorite teachers are Ms Fortune (choir), Ms Shadow (block = Language Arts and Social Studies), Ms Rabel (PE). Many thanks to Ms Fortune for helping get ready for my auditions. [ed: holy crap--Ms. Shadow was one of our favorite teachers at Washington, too, when we went there, back in the late 1800s]

Seattlest: What's your favorite part of the show to perform?

EO: My favorite part of the show is “Vaults of Heaven” because I am on the bridge. It’s great to look down from there.

You've got four more chances to see Elijah and the rest of the cast. We reviewed Whistle Down the Wind a couple of weeks ago and concluded that if you are a fan of musicals, you will likely have a good time. Here's the performance schedule.