Mormon Boy
MORMON BOY
Home of Confessions of a Mormon Boy
and other work by Steven Fales

Mormon Boy
Home of Confessions of a Mormon Boy
and other work by Steven Fales
"An uncommonly powerful, gripping, and very moving piece of theatre. It’s unusually well-written and shaped. And, onstage, Fales is both provocative and intensely empathetic."
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
“Wrenchingly honest, hilariously jubilant and utterly clear-eyed, Steven Fales’ autobiographical testimony is an exceptional achievement to rank beside the best of the solo genre."
—David Nichols, Los Angeles Times
"Fales is such a perceptive writer. An enormously appealing performer, his struggle to make his life cohere is as moving as it is funny."
—Howard Kissel, New York Daily News
"Fales, personable and sexy, makes the tale easy to take, a sort of story hour for grow-up children, telling a quintessentially American once-upon-a-time of sexual identity crisis and selfhood.”
—Michael Feingold, Village Voice
"Fales retains an astonishing generosity of spirit. He bares his soul. And, even if that soul is one that his church has condemned, it still feels like a sacred gift.”
—Louise Kennedy, Boston Globe
“An eye for absurdity can take you a long way: The work of the engaging solo performer Steven Fales is a case in point. A keen sense of the ridiculous—displayed in telling narrative details, some droll characterizations, and a wealth of verbal zingers—leavens his powerful Mormon Boy. A rare artistic commodity: a stand-up-comedy-infused autobiographical epic containing chapter after chapter of absorbing spiritual and personal crisis, sly cultural commentary, and humor.”
—Celia Wren, Washington Post
"Compelling confessional theater. Fales knows how to sell it."
—Jason Zinnoman, New York Times
"It all leads up to a moment of vulnerability so simple and powerful it suggests a kind of grace. All is forgiven with his final breathtaking, self-revelatory gesture. Fales describes his work as ‘ultimately a prayer’, and at that moment, Mormon Boy makes you want to say ‘amen’.”
—Janice Stienberg, San Diego Union-Tribune
“Fales is taking audiences with him on a pendulum swing, from uncomfortable piety to uncontrolled sensuality, and finally to the stillness and peace of finding his authentic self. Honest, moving, whimsical, sobering, tender, and cathartic."
—Christine Dolen, Miami Herald
“A brave, bold, brightly-shining masterpiece. Unforgettable.”
—Buzz Belmont, Houston Chronicle
“Mormon Boy is a riveting night of theater. Grounded in the specifics of his own colorful life, it transcends personal revelation by inviting the audience to consider larger issues—the costs of authenticity in a rigid and stratified world. He is a playwright whose work displays great moral courage and daring.”
—Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way
"Mr. Fales is a master at his craft. His work is timely and of utmost importance in these days of religious-based intolerance."
—Leslie Jordan, Emmy Award Winner
"The best coming-of-age, grappling-with-being piece I've seen since Dan Butler's, and you know there have been a thousand of them ever since his. It's really good. This needs to be filmed."
—Bruce Vilanch, Six-time Emmy Award Winner
“Steven’s one-man show is a combination of an incredibly emotional and heart-wrenching story, a powerfully written and nuanced script, and a knock-it-out-of-the-ballpark performance. Confronting the ‘demons’ within, and seemingly around him, and ending up such an inspiring example of true self-respect and authenticity left me deeply touched and equally inspired.”
—Judith Light, Two-time Tony Award Winner
"When one can be so moved as to laugh till your jaw hurts, wince with a sorry recognition at the pain distorted religion can inflict, cheer with unashamed abandon at an enviable and inspiring bravery so rarely expressed in the face of certain banishment and ridicule, you know you have had a thrilling and emotionally fulfilling theatrical experience. Bravo, Steven Fales and his Mormon Boy!"
—Lucie Arnaz, Tony Award Nominee
"As someone who knew Steven at 18 years old, since our freshman year in college, I was overwhelmed in witnessing my friend's journey. It is no easy thing to live in authenticity and it takes enormous strength to look in the mirror and be honest with oneself. Confessions of a Mormon Boy transcends it's singularity with universal themes we can all relate to in our individual search for truth and meaning."
—Jennifer Simard, Two-time Tony Award Nominee
Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination
New York Artie Award
Overall Excellence Award, FringeNYC
Lambda Literary Award Finalist
Oscar Wilde Award Nomination, Outstanding New Writing for the Theatre
Among others.
SoHo Playhouse, Off-Broadway
Mitzi Newhouse Theatre, Lincoln Center
Charing Cross Theatre, London
Coast Playhouse, Los Angeles
Bay Street Theater
Coconut Grove Playhouse
Boston Theatreworks
Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Houston TheatreLab
Diversionary Theatre, San Diego
Among others.
National Arts Festival, South Africa
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
New York International Fringe Festival
Dublin International Gay Theatre Festival
Sydney Mardis Gras Festival
Atlantic Fringe Festival, Halifax
Midsumma Festival, Melbourne
Among others.
Originally directed by Tony Award Winner Jack Hofsiss (The Elephant Man).
Began as a five-minute standup routine at Caroline's On Broadway and then a formal staged reading at the Sunstone Symposium in Salt Lake City.
The world premiere was in Salt Lake Ctiy and became a sold-out sensation.
Wecome to Steven Heard Fales' "Mormon Boy Experience" where you will find all things "Mormon Boy" and so much more. Because it's not just about being Mormon. It's a human thing . . .
It all started with the world premiere of Fales' groundbreaking Confessions of a Mormon Boy in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2001. Since that initial sold-out run, his award-winning autobiographical solo play has played Off-Broadway, across the country, and around the world—becoming a celebrated one-man phenomenon and truth-telling movement. Ahead of its time, Mormon Boy is now just in time with its universal themes, contemporary relevance, humor, and generosity of spirit.
Steven Heard Fales is a classically trained actor who first started writing when his perfect Mormon world fell apart. A true trailblazer, Elder Fales was a formally excommunicated Latter-day Saint in 2000 and the first gay Mormon dad to tell his story in any kind of mainstage/mainstream way. Sharing his poignant and crowd-pleasing Oxy-Mormon stories is part of an ongoing mission to educate, inspire, and entertain diverse audiences from every corner of the globe. More than Mormon, Confessions of a Mormon Boy has become "a human thing" and is now Part One in Mormon Boy Trilogy and the cornerstone of his "Mormon Boy Experience" and other solos, plays, books, albums, etc., including OxyMormon Memoirs.
For more about Mormon Boy, please explore this new website that will continue to be updated in preparation for MormonBoy 2.0 launching in 2022, "Because a young dad grew up with a lot more to say!" Meanwhile, thank you for visiting. Please stay safe during the pandemic. And as Steven Heard Fales' Mormon Boy motto goes, "Cowboy up and keep smiling!"
For more information about booking Confessions and other work in "Mormon Boy Experience", please contact Team Mormon Boy at fales.steven@gmail.com. Thank you.
Copyright © 2021 Steven Heard Fales at NF2 Productions
All Rights Reserved
it's a human thing . . .