Confessions of a Mormon Boy

It's been 10 years since gifted writer-performer Steven Fales premiered his autobiographical solo play, "Confessions of a Mormon Boy" in an Off-Broadway staging, and eight years since it made its L.A. bow. Fales followed the original work up with two fine sequels of sorts, "Missionary Position" and "Prodigal Dad." In L.A., he is taking the first steps in a planned return of the three plays to New York, to be performed as a trilogy, presumably to be followed by tours.

Fans of "The Book of Mormon" will find Fales' saga to be a rather surprising view of the Mormon-American experience. A Salt Lake City youth who is married with children decides to pursue a performing career in Manhattan, where he serves as a successful male hooker, and then comes out of the closet. Among the many fascinating stories that Fales relates are his efforts at gender-identity therapy, the courtship and marriage to his ex-wife, and in a particularly moving moment, his excommunication from the ruthlessly intolerant Mormon church.

In its abundant light moments, the premise leads to clever verbal gags such as "Oxy-Mormon," disarming anecdotes about the young man's myriad misadventures in the big city, and titillating moments of the still-beefy actor in skimpily provocative attire. The play is a deftly structured mix of poignancy, satire, and heartfelt confessional that satisfies on several levels.
There's obvious appeal for gay male audiences in Fales' works, but he appears to attract a wider range of viewers, perhaps even more so than during this play's 2007 L.A. run, which might say something about changing times.

His story of the conflict between rigid religious doctrines and the struggle for individuals to find themselves amid social pressures should resonate with many, while his witty banter and skill as a likable storyteller are consistently engaging. Fales exudes a disarming sense of spontaneity, which draws audiences into this dramatization of his soul-searching journey.

The original direction of Jack Hofsiss (Tony winner for "The Elephant Man") is recreated in this revival of the play, apparently supervised here by an unstated person. If memory serves me correctly, there have been no substantial changes to the text or to Fales' portrayal, and his still-youthful energy and demeanor are as sharp as they were in the earlier runs. Fales is also an experienced musical theater performer, as he demonstrated in another entertaining work that previously played L.A., his cabaret act "Mormon American Princess."

He has also scored as a writer and standup comic, skills that serve him well in this self-styled vehicle. Fales offers a startling surprise at the end. Let's just say that this moment makes his candid and highly personal vehicle all the more endearing and shows his acting versatility all the more remarkable.

Viewing Fales still so fully in his element several years after my first introduction to his play series proves that the thoughts one hears about the values of wisdom and experience ring resoundingly true. He continues to come across as likable, relaxed, wise, talented, and confident, and the continuing relevance of his work feels even richer than before. Oxy-Mormon? Not on your life.

"Confessions of a Mormon Boy" continues through April 26 at the Zephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood. For information or tickets, visit http://mormonboy.brownpapertickets.com.