Almost a decade since his first confession, Steven Fales returns with a new show.
By Brandon Voss
Who better than a former Mormon to talk about cults? Steven Fales, star of Confessions of a Mormon Boy and its latter-day solo sequels, returns to New York tonight with the premiere of his latest one-man comedy, Cult Model, which explores society’s "obsessive cult disorder." Currently recruiting susceptible audience members, Fales explains the fine line between Scientologists and gay sex workers.
Next: You continue to tour extensively with your Mormon Boy trilogy. Why did you want to create another solo show, Cult Model?
Steven Fales: My solo plays are intense and I love doing them, but they don't travel well. These new solo shows are 60-minute comedy/cabarets for cruise ships and P-Town. I get to sing more, satisfy my latest artistic cravings, and explore new topics. Next up is the cabaret Sugar Daddy Free and the comedy When All Else Fales.
I assume that Mormonism will be addressed in the new show, but what are some other cults that the show explores?
Oh, we deal with the cult elements of Mormonism you might not know about. I have a cult scale — like the Kinsey Scale, 0-6. Not all cults are 5 like Scientology or a 6 like ISIS! Let's discuss the 12-step movement. We don't want to call certain American darlings a cult, but when you break it down, they are. Cult of Hillary? Cult of Trump? Yes, we will explore "Cult of Personality."
Tell me about the cult mentality of gay men in particular. Are there cults that gay men have more of a tendency to fall into?
Like my favorite, the cult of the sex industry? If we have one "cult of the rainbow," that would be it. I left sex work as an escort in Manhattan 14 years ago next month. I'll let my "California Porn Dude" share a few things about that world. Ever hear a grown man sing "Private Dancer"? You will!
Next year will be the 10th anniversary of Confessions of a Mormon Boy’s off-Broadway premiere. What’s been the best part about representing gay Mormons for the past decade?
It's great to see that in many ways some things have changed, but in many ways some things have gotten worse. I've still got work to do telling my original Brokeback Mormon story. Anyone have the number for where I can get a cheap dash of Botox to keep this missionary daddy fresh for a few more years?
What’s been the worst part?
Honestly? The Book of Mormon musical. They stole my marketing and they're not even Mormon! [Laughs] Sigh.
Next, October 2015.