"Gerald, my late husband, gave me a public voice. He insisted I write the first story. Now, with all the many, many people I've talked to in the last 20 years, it's just not a moral-ethical thing to keep quiet about it. We do such an injustice to these people and their families."

Pearson said the play is "just the accumulation of hundreds of contacts. I felt like I knew all three of the characters. I am so familiar with the psychology of the gay Mormon men who give up hope and kill themselves. They feel so condemned after trying so hard to change their feelings. I know what that feels like."

The play's deceased young man, Andrew, does not appear on stage. "But we hear him through his parents and Marcus in 'memory moments.' I sympathize with the two parents as well. Any religious family — and certainly a Mormon family — is not prepared to deal with this subject.

"The parents in my play respond better than some. Some parents have disowned their gay and lesbian children. The parents in 'Facing East' continue to relate to their son and, when they finally meet his partner at the graveside, that becomes a paradigm shift for them — to see that Marcus is just a normal, good boy who loved their son very honestly."

She is particularly concerned about what she describes as "the stuff that I see coming out of the Mormon culture. In today's world we have so much knowledge, and it's inexcusable that we are so ignorant on this subject."

Pearson will attend every performance during Plan-B Theatre Company's engagement and will participate in several post-show discussions. "I think my play will be on the right wavelength. We do bring up some big questions."

If you go ...

What: "Facing East"

Where: Plan-B at the Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. 300 South

When: Thursday through Nov. 26, times vary

How much: $10-$15

Phone: 355-2787

Web: www.planbtheatrecompany.org

Also ...

Post-show discussions: Nov. 17, 22, 24

Book signings: Friday, 6-7:30 p.m., Sam Weller's, 254 S. Main; Saturday, noon-1:30 p.m., Borders, 132 E. Winchester, Murray; Nov. 25, 2-4 p.m., Wise Bird Bookery, Ogden

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E-mail: ivan@desnews.com