Young singer's lucky streak

Young actor and singer Gregory Smith attributes much of his success - including his 2010 role as Oliver Twist in the Walnut Street Theatre's Oliver! - to good old luck.

"Really I've just been at the right place at the right time," the 11-year-old said, explaining that he was the perfect height for the role of Charles Dickens' protagonist.

But it took more than luck for Gregory to win the opportunity to sing with 10-year-old piano sensation Ethan Bortnick, beating out almost 800 other contestants in an online contest. Ethan is a prodigy who's appeared on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno four times and recently was the youngest member of the all-star "We Are the World - 25 for Haiti" group.

Gregory, who lives in Media, will get to showcase his talent with Ethan at 8 p.m. Monday at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. The concert is part of the Ethan Bortnick & His Musical Time Machine tour, which benefits Children's Miracle Network hospitals. On Tuesday, Gregory will join Ethan on his tour bus, and the young musicians will head to New York City for an evening performance at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square.

The online contest was sponsored by the children's social networking site Kidzbop.com, which Gregory describes as a lot like Facebook for kids. While on the website, Gregory noticed the contest, which asked users to upload videos of themselves singing or playing a musical instrument. The prize was a chance to perform with Ethan on his tour.

Gregory uploaded a video of himself singing "I Want You Back," a song made famous by the Jackson 5. More than 6,000 Kidzbop users voted on their favorite videos. The top three vote-getters became finalists, and judges from the site chose Gregory as the winner.

"Kidzbop has been a great creative outlet," said Gregory's dad, David Smith.

Although Gregory said he had never heard of Ethan before he entered the contest, he is excited to perform with him.

"I'm really amazed by Ethan," Gregory said.

The boys will meet during a rehearsal a few hours before Monday's performance. During the rehearsal, they will decide whether Gregory will be performing "Baby" by Justin Bieber or "Dynamite" by Tao Cruise, who is among Gregory's favorite musical artists along with Michael Jackson.

Gregory is a sixth grader who already has a performance resume, balancing school and acting. He has been taking acting lessons since he was 6, made a 2009 performance as Tiny Tim in the Walnut Street Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol, had a role in the 2007 performance of Swan Lake by London's Royal Ballet at the Mann Center, and is getting ready for an upcoming performance as Tommy in The Who's Tommy at the Media Theatre.

He attends The Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square where his favorite subject is math. Gregory also enjoys creative writing as a hobby.

"I've always wanted to be on Broadway," Gregory said of his dream. Until then, Gregory is just thanking his lucky stars for the opportunities that have come his way. Of Monday and Tuesday's concert he said, "I'm really excited. I'm really lucky to have won."