Confessing one's sins certainly takes an act of bravery, but imagine doing so in front of a packed theatre night after night, let alone revealing your dark past and divulging family tidbits to absolute strangers. Such is the case with
Steven Fales in his one-man autobiographical show,
Confessions of a Mormon Boy, currently at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood.
His story begins with a tale of growing up as a sixth-generation Utah Mormon who longed to make his family and church proud, all while fighting the ever-present homosexual feelings that were always with him. After repeated attempts to "straighten up," with the help of church leaders, Fales tells of his marrying Emily, daughter of celebrated Mormon poet Carol Lynn Pearson. The heartbreaking tragedy of their situation, which Fales delivers with amazing humor and sorrow, lies in the ironic resemblance to his mother-in-law's own past, as her gay ex-husband sadly died of AIDS while under her care, resulting in the publication of her autobiography, "Goodbye, I Love You." Fales believed that if he put his faith in the church, that he would be able to lead a successful straight life and make his wife happy.
Two children and a handful of gay affairs later, Fales flees to New York where he poignantly describes his male prostitution escapades and debilitating brush with drugs. This of course is after he is excommunicated from the church and divorced from his wife, which Fales tells with an utmost humility.
Fales exposes his lurid history with miraculous honesty, capturing the attention of audiences in this Los Angeles premiere while never veering down the path of self-pity, which in Fales' case is a testament to his mighty resolve. There is a sense of relief pouring out of Fales as he confesses his stories, but none more so than when after the show, he mentioned his father having attended the opening performance off-Broadway recently, which is surprising as his father does not escape from exposure throughout the evening.
It is no wonder that Fales has been met with much critical acclaim for Confessions of a Mormon Boy, which interestingly started out as a standup comedy act and later was turned into this fabulous play with music thanks to the help of its director, Tony Award-winner
Jack Hofsiss (
The Elephant Man).
The bare staging, in the hands of set designer Tim Saternow, which is nothing more than a bench and coat rack, lends to the nakedness Fales emotionally discloses over the hour and a half. Lighting design is by Steven Cohen, sound by Robert Kaplowitz and costumes by Ellis Tillman.
Always longing for that "
Donny Osmond smile," although as he is quick to point out, Marie's would have been swell, Fales has succeeded in creating something much more profound than the Mormon pop duo ever had, he has lent his life struggles to those looking for guidance in what is not the most uncommon of stories. This surefire hit is bound to attract a full house in the short six-week run in West Hollywood.
Confessions of a Mormon Boy runs through Sunday, February 18. Ticket prices range from $35 to $40, and can be purchased at
www.tix.com or by calling (800) 595-4849. For more information, visit
www.mormonboy.com.
Photos by Michael Lamont
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