Michael Deaner, of Dix Hills, Long Island, living his dream as Leo in Broadway's "Leopoldstadt"
DIX HILLS, N.Y. -- The Broadway play "Leopoldstadt" took among the talented cast a child actor from Long Island.
CBS New York met young Michael Deaner, who has leaned to balance Broadway and school without missing a beat.
Winning multiple Tony Awards and raves along the Great White Way is Tom Stoppard's work about the effect of the Holocaust on a Jewish family in Vienna.
Deaner plays young Leo in the heart wrenching production of "Leopoldstadt."
"I'm thinking about just like getting into character, getting ready, going on, getting in my position when the curtain goes up," he said.
It's been a whirlwind year for the student from West Hollow Middle School in Dix Hills. He was 11 years old when he got the call of a lifetime.
"Unbelievable. It was just an audition like any other audition. Oh, we got a callback. Oh, we got a final callback. And then a week later, oh my goodness, he got it!" said his mother, Karen Deaner.
"It's intensive. It's six days a week, two shows on Wednesday and Saturday," his father, Brian Deaner, said.
His parents, Brian and Karen -- both school teachers -- help ferry their son to the city on the Long Island Rail Road, where the "Leopoldstadt" placard looks over the tracks.
"People come up to me, 'Are you Michael? Are you Broadway Michael?' Yes," he said.
"A great and wonderful experience for him, but also a great feather in our cap for West Hollow," said West Hollow Middle School Principal Steven Hauk.
- Related Story: "Leopoldstadt" star Brandon Uranowitz reflects on new Broadway play's important and timely story
Michael Deaner said any homework he doesn't finish comes with him on the train and backstage. He's experienced in juggling his schedule.
"I was in 'Music Man' when I was 4," he said, and later, "A Bronx Tale."
Those shows were on Long Island. Now, his lines are heard on Broadway.
Michael Deaner has a personal connection to the message of the show. He lost many relatives on his father's side of the family during the Holocaust.
"Being a part of this production with that in mind, on stage, it helps the character a lot," he said.
"My grandfather survived and so did his sister, who moved to Israel. But the rest of the relatives had died in the concentration camps. So this is particularly meaningful," said Brian Deaner.
"To sit in the audience, I have to keep reminding myself, like, this is Broadway and I am watching Michael on the stage," Karen Deaner added.
He's winning accolades from critics and fans. Asked about the curtain call, he said it ends at a tense moment in the show, but added "it's exhilarating."
"So cool, I'm on a Broadway show in front of a crowd," he said.
An unforgettable experience.
