MORMON BOY
Good Boy. Bad Boy. Mormon Boy. What is it to be profoundly human?
Welcome to Steven Heard Fales' MormonBoy 2.0
"Let the transformation begin . . . again."
Mormon boy — An American Original Since 2001
Praise for CONFESSIONS, Part One in MORMON BOY TRILOGY: Three Solo Plays in Repertory
"Compelling"—New York Times; "Powerful"—Chicago Tribune; "Epic"—Washington Post; "Exceptional"—Los Angeles Times; "Superb"—Atlanta Journal-Constitution; "Riveting"—Associated Press; "Moving"—New York Daily News; "Hilarious"—Chicago Sun-Times; "Engaging"—New York Post; "A triumph"—Newsday; "Spellbinding"—San Francisco Examiner; "Absorbing"—Salt Lake Tribune; "Stunning"—Austin Chronicle; "Cathartic"— Miami Herald; "Polished"—The Oregonian; "Satisfying"—South Florida Sun-Sentinel; "Sexy"—Village Voice; "Attractive"—LA Weekly; "Astonishing"—Boston Globe; "Breathtaking"—San Diego Union-Dispatch; "Unforgettable"—Houston Chronicle; "Gripping"—Houston Press; "Funny"—The Advocate; "Poignant"—Las Vegas Review-Journal; "Life-affirming"—Richmond Times-Dispatch; "Shocking"—Theaterlife.com;
"Timely"—San Francisco Chronicle; "Winning"—Variety; "Gripping"—Connecticut Post; "Harrowing"—Backstage; "Ingenious"—Boston Phoenix; "Illuminating"—Boston Herald; "Hair-raising"—Metro Boston; "Dazzling"—Chicago Free Press; "Entertaining"—OUT.com; "Lively"—New York Metro; "Vulnerable"—Theatremania.com; "Captivating"—Broadway.com; "Brave"—NYTheatre.com; etc.
For more information, endorsements, and reviews see below and "about" in the header above.
"An uncommonly powerful, gripping, and very moving piece of theatre. It’s far, far better than you’d guess. It’s unusually well-written and shaped. Fales is not only an actor, but also a very good one. And, onstage, he is both provocative and intensely empathetic. As with Elaine Stritch, Fales’ life simply went further to the extremes than most. And thus it’s more dramatic. Fales does not do a hatchet job on the Christian Right in general, or on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in particular. On the contrary, he’s unafraid to reveal that his alienation from his initial identity—his spiritual core, still—is what ripped him apart. Along with some truly wrenching scenes involving issues of fatherhood and childhood vulnerability, this palpable sense of spiritual longing is what makes this show so remarkably powerful. Just as he deserves personal happiness, he also merits a professional chance at the big time, in all its glory.”
CHICAGO TRIBUNE, Chris Jones, Critic's Choice
“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. Fales never reviles himself or the religion he loved, nor does he let either off the hook. His narrative is richly absorbing in its immediacy. The motifs are shrewdly developed, and the climactic revelation is a hair-raising coup. You’d have to go back to Leslie Jordan or Geraldine Hughes and Julia Sweeney, to find such deeply personal material attaining so wide a reach. That accessibility distinguishes Mormon Boy, and it’s a memorable soul-baring session.”
LOS ANGELES TIMES, David M. Nichols, Critic’s Choice
"Mormon Boy has one of the most riveting moments I have ever seen in the theatre. It literally made my jaw drop. Being a gay recovering Southern Baptist, Steven Fales’s tale of his journey to self-acceptance made me want to jump up in the theatre and holler "Amen!" I have seen Mormon Boy several times and have brought friends who were considering doing one-person shows to show them an example of how multi-layered a solo piece like his can be. 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 for Will & Grace
"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. Mormon Boy transcends it's singularity with universal themes we can all relate to in our individual search for truth and meaning."
JENNIFER SIMARD, Three-time Tony Award Nominee
“A true story, Fales’ life is the stuff of great theatre."
ASSOCIATED PRESS, Justin Bergman
"As moving as it is funny.”
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, Howard Kissel
"A quintessentially American once-upon-a-time of sexual identity crisis and selfhood.”
VILLAGE VOICE, Michael Feingold
“Compelling confessional theatre."
NEW YORK TIMES, Jason Zinoman
“An absorbing tale about the universal human search for belonging. Gay or not, Mormon or not, it is something we can all relate to.”
SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
"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.”
WASHINGTON POST, Celia Wren
“What a rare and skillful thing is Mormon Boy, Steven Fales’ engrossing, funny, and often quite harrowing tale."
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, Kevin Nance
"Honest, moving, whimsical, sobering, tender and cathartic."
MIAMI HERALD, Christine Dolen
"Feels like a sacred gift."
BOSTON GLOBE, Louise Kennedy
Welcome to Steven Fales' all-new "Mormon Boy."
Originally directed Off-Broadway by Tony Award Winner, Jack Hofsiss (The Elephant Man), Outer Critics Circle Award Nominee, Steven Fales' MORMON BOY has played London, Dublin, Oslo, Edinburgh, Melbourne, Sydney, Cape Town, Makhanda (Grahamstown), and Halifax. Nationally, it’s had runs in New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Diego, Hartford (Storrs), Atlanta, Buffalo, Houston, Dallas, Austin, Salt Lake City, Miami, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Columbus, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orange County, Phoenix, Tucson, Sag Harbor (the Hamptons), Provincetown, Cherry Grove (Fire Island), Richmond, Portland (OR), Portland (ME), Andover (NH), New Hope (PA), Denver, Palm Springs, etc.—often returning to venues again and again. Commercial to regional to special events from the SoHo Playhouse to the Mitzi Newhouse (Lincoln Center) to Charing Cross Theatre to Bay Street Theater to the Coconut Grove Playhouse to Disneyland to the Phillips Academy and fringe after fringe after fringe festival. And that’s not counting the cabaret acts that have played Joe’s Pub to stand-up clubs like Caroline's On Broadway where Steven got his start. This self-produced “little solo show that could” has put on a lot of miles. And used up just as many smiles. Where and what will the all new MormonBoy 2.0 (and other shows) go and do? Stay tuned!
For further reviews, endorsements, play history, past productions, bios, photos, awards, etc. and information about other "Mormon Boy" projects, please continue to peruse this site. Thank you. And keep smiling!
National "Mormon Boy" Reviews
“What a rare and skillful thing is Mormon Boy, Steven Fales’ engrossing, funny, and often quite harrowing tale. Fales’ tumble from grace and his road to redemption peg him as the male counterpart of the fallen woman . . . think Joan Crawford or Bette Davis playing outcasts at their most glamorously vulnerable. He’s a male Mildred Pierce, except that it’s real life. With crackerjack direction by Broadway veteran Jack Hofsiss, Fales delivers the dramatic goods with considerable economy, crisp pacing and, in the end, a simple gesture of self-revelation that’s as effective a coup de theatre as you’ll find in a dozen shows jam-packed with special effects. Best of all, we don’t see Fales’ ultimate moment of catharsis coming; it hits us between the eyes like a shot with a two-by-four. Fales is such a good mimic, capable of vivid and hilarious impersonations. Fales has lived a stunningly eventful, almost Dickensian life, and he is, by happy coincidence, a fine writer and actor. Let him make the most of it.”
—Kevin Nance, Chicago Sun-Times
“An absorbing tale about the universal human search for belonging. Gay or not, Mormon or not, it is something we can all relate to.”
—Salt Lake Tribune
“Go! Fales is an attractive and engaging personality who wins us over with charm instead of ingratiating gestures. He’s boyish without appearing naïve, mischievous without being cynical. In his opening moments, you never know which way Fales is going to go with his story. Not only is the material deeply personal, but so is the performance."
—Steven Mikulan, LA Weekly
"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 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
“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
"The play builds in power until it crests in a warm and satisfying wave that lifts theatergoers to their feet and is generously sprinkled with witty one-liners. As he comes to peace with himself, Fales provides a simple but startling coup de theatre to signal the emergence of the real human . . . his play shoots skyward in dramatic content and emotional payoff."
—South Florida Sun-Sentinel
“A brave, bold, brightly-shining masterpiece. Unforgettable.”
—Buzz Belmont, Houston Chronicle
“It is the truth-telling that provides the punch and holds the audience in thrall. A talented performer recounts with charm and power a gripping narrative. An emotional, amusing and roller-coaster theatrical ride.”
—Houston Press
"Fales is superb. Heartbreaking. Humorous. A tale about finding redemption in honesty."
—Wendell Brock, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"Fales is an endearing performer, a masterful storyteller, and one hell of a writer. Throughout the play, his belief in god and his desire to be ‘good’ make him an extremely compelling hero. Evocative detail, humor and moments of spellbinding drama . . . great theatre . . . sexy and harrowing. A play that transcends religion, gender and sexuality."
—San Francisco Examiner
“The play is alternately funny and sad—and at its best moments, both. A self-examination about accepting responsibility.”
—The Advocate
“A very funny, poignant and surprising story of self-acceptance and the happiness in finding spiritual connections.”
—Anthony Del Valle, Las Vegas Review-Journal
"There are numerous moments of revelation here. Beyond surprising and moving; it was stunning. Steven Fales is a hero.”
—Barry Pineo, Austin Chronicle
“Fales walks a fine line between satire and truth and ultimately generates a skillful and compelling balance between one-line zingers . . . and life-affirming revelation. It is a testimony to Fales’ skill as a storyteller as well as his ability to find humor in the often painful human condition that holds his audience for 90 uninterrupted minutes.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
“While questioning Mormon doctrine on sexuality, he feels genuine warmth toward the people of the faith. Fales mixes earnest confession, witty commentary and a number of playful sketches of people he has met on his life journey . . . his performance is polished. He is engaging as the Mormon with a toothy Donny Osmond smile and sparkling eyes as he is as the low-keyed genuine individual he becomes at the play’s end.”
—The Oregonian
Endorsements
“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. 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
"I'm still in awe of this beautiful poem of self revelation. It's like an enormous bell: in time the initial ring may sink below our hearing range but the vibrations keep spreading outward like eddies in a lake. Mormon Boy stays with you."
—Marty Martin, playwright Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein
"Mormon Boy has the 'wow' factor. It's deeply dramatic and involving, and the material covers so much territory."
—Stephen M. Silverman, American biographer, journalist, and editor.
Awards
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.
Past Productions
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.
Facts
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.
For further reviews and information about "Mormon Boy" and Steven Fales, please see tabs above . . .
An American Original Since 2001
Welcome 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!"
Tickets now on sale
Steven Fales' all-new MORMON BOY previews as a benefit for SafeHouse of the Desert on Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 3:00 PM at the Camelot Theatre in Palm Springs. Follow the link for tix through Eventbrite!
Contact
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.