by Sherri Rase

 

“Confessions” is Good for the Soul

The word “confessions” evokes a frisson of forbidden pleasure – at once a feeling that is very personal, and just a little bit lurid.  You know you will be a party to something that people take vows regarding upholding privacy rights, but you’ve not taken those.  Confessions are also very personal to the individual and Steven Fales’ “Confessions of A Mormon Boy” is lurid, intensely personal and a look behind the veil of a seriously organized religion bent on self perpetuation.  It’s also a rational discussion on how belief systems sometimes sacrifice the individual to what is perceived as the greater good.

 

Steven Fales is what he calls a DNA Mormon – 6^th generation, eldest male grandchild on both sides of the family and a perfect specimen of Mormon boyhood and manhood.  His favorite songs growing up are church music that he sings freely at events where his parents take him.  He is fully actualized as a youngster and a youth believing in the armor of belonging his faith provides.  Until his volunteer mission, undertaken by all young Mormon men at 19, opens his eyes in ways he could not have imagined.

 

The Mormon Church has more than 13 million members.  Every year, winsome young men are sent out all over the world on a two-year mission to turn hither-to heathens to the Book of Mormon.  As part of God’s Army, Steven never thought the breach in his armor would occur – much less from within.

 

Steven returns from his mission and goes to Brigham Young University, like a good Mormon man.  The perfect woman emerges when Steven has a heinous breakup (with a girl) and prays for celibacy and a few good friends.  This woman understands his wrestling with faith and helps him through difficult times.  While together they broach his questioning with elders, at every step they are assured they are doing the right thing, being together and preparing for marriage.  The Church views it as best for the greater good, but this ultimately leads to the suffering of very good people.

 

Many times, Steven talks about losing his smile.  Happiness at the core of being is not the fleeting pleasure felt at a wry comment or the belly laugh at slapstick comedy.  The kind of contentment and happiness most of us seek is felt best when we are able to be fully ourselves.  Steven loses his smile when he loses touch with himself, regardless where the pendulum swings to the extremes.  Nature, even human nature, seeks balance.  Steven’s smile returns when he is at peace with himself.

 

Steven unflinchingly tells his story, at first from a standpoint of feeling different and the realization that marching to a different drummer is not where he wants to be.  Those who stray from the standard are often left behind when the tribe moves on.  Steven strives to continue to be a vision of Mormon male perfection and he tries exhaustively to fit in.  From working with Church elders by “turning himself in”, to becoming NARTH-assist-ic, to reading everything on the ex-Gay movement to finally finding help to support who he really is, the distance traveled is no less great than his ancestors traveled to settle ultimately in Utah.  And it is fraught with perhaps greater dangers.

 

Humans have a biological imperative –to reproduce and extend the lineage of their genetic material.  Large organizations, not limited to the Mormons, have an organizational imperative to spread their beliefs.  And we all know that belief systems are big bucks.  Power and influence are calculated by your faithful and faithful Mormons tithe.  Remember, tithing is giving a large amount of your annual income to the church and it helps people build bigger churches with more beautiful interiors to bring people in impoverished countries into a warm and welcoming place at least once a week.  This edifice complex is welcoming until you begin to question the hand that claims to feed your soul.

 

This show is a must-see and you must-get tickets sooner rather than later.  There is not one seat in the intimate, 40-seat theatre at Island Rep that isn’t a good one, but this show only runs till July 13.  And if you’d like to meet the artist, don’t miss the brunch at Top of the Bay July 12, 11am to 1pm.  It’s a benefit for Island Rep and New York Assemblywoman Ginny Fields and auteur and raconteur Steven Fales are the guests of honor.

 

 ‘SORDID LIVES” August 1 thru 17 –AT THE TIDES PLAYHOUSE IN CHERRY GROVE 631 597-9439