Confessions of a Mormon Boy: Behind the Scenes of the off-Broadway Hit

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 128 pages
• Published by: Alyson Books November 1, 2006
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1555839789
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1555839789
• Book Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Weighs: 3.2 ounces

Product Description



"What a rare and skillful thing is Confessions of a Mormon Boy, Steven Fales' engrossing, funny and often quite harrowing tale. A fine writer and actor."-Chicago Sun-Times


A hit at New York's Fringe Festival, Steven Fales' true-life story has become a smash across the country. Now playing off-Broadway, it continues to dazzle audiences with its honesty and wit as the author recounts his story of being excommunicated from the Mormon church for being gay, leaving his wife and children, and his subsequent descent into the dangers of sex and drugs.

About The Author
Steven Fales is a sixth-generation Mormon from Provo, UT. He trained on scholarship at the Boston Conservatory before serving a two-year mission to Portugal for Latter-Day Saints Church. He then transferred to Brigham Young University where he completed his BFA in muscial theatre, and later earned and MFA in acting from the University of Connecticut.

Reader Reviews
Steven Fales created quite a stir with his one-man stage show, "Confessions of a Mormon Boy", which debuted originally in Salt Lake City, not far from the headquarters of the LDS Church, which had excommunicated him just over a year earlier for his homosexuality. In a refreshingly nonjudgemental way, his show relates episodes in his life that led up to that day, which also resulted in leaving his wife and two children behind, as well as his subsequent life as a wannabe actor in New York City, who resorted to becoming a popular male escort to survive financially and drugs to deaden his depression over the direction his life had taken. The stage show has evolved over the years, and this book includes the "script" for the most current, off-Broadway version, as well as the original (more Mormon-oriented) version he performed in Utah. There are also photos, copies of the communication from the LDS church that excommunicated him, and various personal observations on how doing "Mormon Boy" has been therapeutic for him. Prior to reading this, my sole impression of how the LDS church dealt with gays was based on having seen the film "Latter Days", which the author here is quick to point out was not accurate. While the Mormon church is still bigoted against homosexuals, the author still found empathy and support among its members and some of its leaders, who were also among the financial backers for his show. He also mentions Affirmation, the support group for gay Mormons, and other similar groups are listed in a directory in the book. An interesting, witty and heartfelt look at a world few of us know, from a talented writer who benefited the most from this work.