at the Coast Playhouse
hat's a nice boy like you doing in a life like this? That's a fair question to ask writer-actor Steven Fales, a sixth-generation devout Mormon; ex-husband of Emily Pearson, the daughter of Mormon poet Carol Lynn Pearson; excommunicated midlevel honcho and missionary of the Mormon Church of Salt Lake City, Utah; and ex-high-priced, homosexual hooker and drug addict of New York City. In 90 minutes Fales, in the Los Angeles premiere of his one-person show, under the direction of Jack Hofsiss, tries to confess it all, pulling no punches.
Yes, this is yet another gay coming-out tale. And like most of the others, it has a bit of a twist: It involves a man's honest struggle to make himself straight with the help of his church, its clergy, reparative therapy, prayer, and his family's and wife's love. But after all is said and done, he still wants to be the Osmonds—Donny or Marie, either one will do.
Fales' show is filled with humor, some mainstream and some directed to the choir. The tale also has a goodly amount of poignancy for all to understand, plus songs rendered in a voice as smooth as butter. A sweet touch is recordings of him as a child, singing songs he wrote at ages 5 and 9. Fales has GQ good looks, his body is buff but not overdone, and he sports quite a winning smile and personality—all of which takes the not-so-popular genre a long way.
Now to the negatives: At times Fales seems a bit too rehearsed and stylized, with a pause before a punch word or gesture. And a tad too much gay camp at show's end trades off some of his solidly crafted drama and comedy. But much can be forgiven in the face of the positives.
Presented by MB Productions and Steven Cohen Productions at the Coast Playhouse, 8325 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. Thu.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 3 & 7 p.m. Jan. 12-Feb. 18. (800) 595-4849. www.mormonboy.com.
Reviewed by Dave DePino