He's white, good-looking, dressed in a suit and tie. He carries The Book of Mormon. Most of us have seen his counterparts at our door or have heard of the ministry they are required to do. They travel the world wide preaching the Mormon brand of religion. Steven Fales, who wrote and performs Confessions of a Mormon Boy, lived the Mormon ideal. He went to Brigham Young University and married a beautiful young Mormon woman. They settled down to raise a good Mormon family and soon had a boy and a girl.
However, in this autobiographical piece, Steven Fales had non-Mormon feelings. He found that he was much more attracted to his own gender, not the opposite. However, being a good and faithful Mormon, he asked for help from the bishop and his church. Thus begins the tale of Steven Fales, a trained actor and polished writer, with several other works either performed or in the queue.
He offers an intimate look at the agony of his fight against his true feelings. His life is far from pretty; however, Confessions of a Mormon Boy is not all drama. Fales is a master of comedic timing and balances the darkness with a lighter, amusing side. He is quoted as saying that he wrote the monologue for his children, to whom he remains close.
Fales, the actor, brings chilling dimensions to the plight of Fales, the person, the father, the gay man. Most chilling is his telling of his life as a prostitute to men. We can feel his emotions, his passions. We can be happy for his successes and weep at his failures.
Fales is aided by a highly effective sound track that even includes his own voice as a small child. The lighting provides variety and effectively enhances the mood of the moment.
This is a performance that should not be missed. Steven Fales, writer and performer, offers an evening of intimate revelation as he unveils a tale of one man's discovery of himself.
