Written by Deborah Zoe Laufer. Directed by Courtney O’Connor. Scenic Design by Janie E. Howland, Costume Design by Chelsea Kerl, Lighting Design by Karen Perlow, Original Music and Sound Co-Design by Dewey Dellay, and Sound Co-Design by Andrew Duncan Will. Properties by Lauren Corcuera.
by Linda Chin
In crafting Rooted, the story of two small-town, medium-aged women with big dreams, playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer returned to her childhood roots in the Catskills for inspiration. Besides Hazel (Karen MacDonald), an energetic, fast-talking waitress and primary caregiver of her younger sister, Emery (Lisa Tucker), who has a physical disability and uses a walker, the fictional town of Millerville’s inhabitants include Stuart, Giancarlo, and dozens of other potted plants who live with the people-phobic, biophilic Emery in a tree house – named Mabel – that she hasn’t emerged from in over a decade. There are also lots of animals – birds in the sky above, cows in the pasture below. From the safety of the tree house, Emery does plant research and broadcasts her results via YouTube, and is satisfied with having no direct human contact – just peace, calm, and quiet. In contrast, Hazel is dissatisfied and bored with small-town life, and though she loves her sister deeply, she desperately wants to escape.
A week when thousands of Emery’s followers make the journey to Millerville from exotic places (e.g. Delaware, Wisconsin, New Jersey!), swell its population tenfold (and support local businesses), is life-changing. The groups begin gathering beneath Mabel, singing and chanting, asking their new-age messiah to reveal herself and heal them, and also donate money. One follower, Luanne (Katherine Callaway), gets trampled by the crowds and is granted entry to the treehouse, where Hazel gently tends to her wounds, and Luanne and Emery discover that they are kindred spirits.
Rooted is a play with funny bits and poignant moments, and the strong acting will buoy your spirits. The technical aspects of this “high-touch, low-tech” production are expertly executed. The opportunity to sit with your thoughts, stay present, and be unplugged for 100 minutes with no intermission (though the play would benefit from some pruning) is therapeutic. The play’s modern-day messages of appreciating diversity (including physical abilities and neurodiversity), planting trees to save the planet, and not believing everything you read or see on the internet are worth heeding.
But believe it when I say that the spectacular set for Rooted (designed by Janie E. Howland) that’s been blowing up the internet is even more stunning when seen in person. It’s not the first time the Lyric has been filled with greenery (the tree in Pacific Overtures and the plants in Little Shop of Horrors were also designed by Howland). Rooted validates that nature, theater, and human connection can be healing for the soul. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.lyricstage.com/show-item/rooted/
