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FINE CHINESE DINING

7A wonderful adventure in fine dining" — Danny Raskin

Former Tamarack camper makes
Broadway debut in Newsies.

Alice Burdick Schweiger
Special to the Jewish News

summer break in a show at Cedar
Point in Ohio. He ended up spending
his junior year of college on tour with
en Fankhauser has a lot to
Spring Awakening but later took
be happy about these days.
summer classes at a local community
At only 23 years old, he's on
college to earn enough credits to
Broadway playing a streetwise Jewish
graduate on time.
character named Davey, one of the
Fankhauser was born in Zurich,
leads in Disney's new hit musical,
Switzerland (his father was Swiss). He
Newsies.
moved to Cleveland at age 5 with his
"For as long as I can
mom, currently a school
remember, I wanted to be
psychologist for the
an actor on the New York
Euclid City Schools, and
stage, and now that it's
his older brother, David.
happening, it's overwhelm-
Fankhauser's career
ing, exciting and surreal
in musical theater is no
all at the same time," says
surprise to his mom.
Fankhauser, whose mom,
"He was always very
Binnie Gun, grew up in
creative and entertain-
Oak Park.
ing," Binnie Gun says.
Fankhauser, who
"When he was 5 or 6
graduated from New York's
years old, he'd do magic
Ben Fankh auser
Ithaca College as a musi-
tricks and perform for
cal theater major last May,
neighbors and family
was the last person cast in Newsies,
and would create stories and video-
he says. "I got the part in two days,
tape them. He has an incredible work
which was a pleasant surprise. It usu-
ethic and has worked hard."
ally doesn't happen so fast so I was
Gun says she always supported
very lucky on that front."
her son's career choice. "I am a firm
Before Newsies opened on
believer that people should pursue
Broadway, the show had a smash run
their passions:'
at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New
Although Fankhauser was raised
Jersey.
in Cleveland, he has close ties to the
"Harvey Fierstein adapted the
Detroit area. His uncle, Sam Gun, lives
story from the 1992 movie says
in Sylvan Lake; his great-uncle and
Fankhauser. "It's still very relevant
great-aunt, Jack and Miryam Gun,
today, considering movements like
live in West Bloomfield, as do cousins
Occupy Wall Street. It's an underdog
Sandra Ruza and Sam Gun and their
story — the little guys against the big respective families.
guys — and it's fun to tell it through
"We are a very close-knit family:'
the events of the newsboys' strike'
says Fankhauser, who spent many
The dance numbers are vibrant,
summers of his childhood as a
aerobic and challenging, says
camper at Camp Tamarack. "We go
Fankhauser, who honed his dance
back to the Detroit area for bar mitz-
skills for the role.
vahs, weddings and sometimes for
"I danced in college for four years,
Thanksgiving."
and then the week leading up to my
Fankhauser, who had a bar mitz-
audition, I crammed in two classes
vah and was confirmed, went on a
a day. After I booked the job, I took
Birthright trip to Israel in the winter
dance classes regularly to keep up my
of 2011. "It was really nice to get back
facility and stamina. I still feel like I'm in touch with my Jewish roots:' he
learning though. I get to dance along-
says.
side some of Broadway's best dancers,
For now, Newsies is scheduled to
and that is truly a thrill for me."
close on Aug. 19, although an exten-
Newsies — with eight Tony nomi-
sion is always possible. When the
nations — is Fankhauser's second
show does close, Fankhauser, who
professional acting job. His first was
lives in New York, hopes to remain a
the role of teenager Ernst in the tour-
part of the Broadway community.
ing company of Spring Awakening,
"Right now I am riding the waves:'
which had a run at the Fisher Theatre
he says. "It's a treat for an actor
in spring 2010.
to have work like this. When the
Fankhauser auditioned to replace
show ends, the plan is onward and
another actor while working during
upward!" LI

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May 17 o 2012

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