Confessions of a Mormon Boy, written and directed by Stephen Fales, is coming clean to audiences at off-Broadway's Soho Playhouse, where it opened on February 5. The show, which is based on the author's real life, began as a standup comedy routine in Salt Lake City in 2001. It has been performed in various stages of development around the country, including at the 2004 New York International Fringe Festival. Did the solo show have critics singing its praises?
Here is a sampling of what they had to say:
William Stevenson in his Broadway.com Review: "Autobiographical solo shows are nothing new. But there probably hasn't been one before by a gay, once-devout Mormon who was excommunicated from the church, divorced his wife and left his children behind in Salt Lake City, moved to Manhattan and became a high-paid escort. That's Steven Fales' story, and his theatrical confessional is both engaging and unflinchingly honest. Despite the compelling material, though, the 90-minute play may not have much crossover appeal for straight audiences….By the end of the revealing evening, one gets the feeling that relating his highs and lows has been a cathartic experience for Fales--as well as for some in the audience."
Frank Rizzo of Variety: "Just when you thought the gay coming-out tale had exhausted itself, Steven Fales' solo show gives it a twist with the perspective of a Brokeback Mormon. But don't expect much rueful angst of a Western soul trying to resist what local folks can't abide. With a prepossessing smile, a musical-comedy persona and the fervor of a proselyte on a decidedly different mission, Fales' Confessions of a Mormon Boy revels in his eventful autobiography while giving the audience only a shallow glimpse into the mysterious intersection of faith and sexuality."
