Rooted
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SYNOPSIS:
Emery and her sister, Hazel, have never ventured out of their tiny town in upstate New York for all their 60-some years. This is “A-ok” with Emery, who would very happily spend the rest of her days alone, in her homemade treehouse in her beloved tree, Mabel, blogging about her experiments on the consciousness of plants. But when she becomes an unexpected internet sensation and crowds start congregating beneath Mabel believing she’s their savior, Hazel sees an opportunity for profit and escape for the first time in her life. THE PEOPLE:
EMERY HARRIS: 40’s-70’s. Lives in a treehouse. Uses a walker to get around. Wears a gardening hat and glasses. She’s performing scientific experiments on the consciousness of plants. Plants make sense. People are confusing. And loud. And hard to read. And sometimes they touch you which is awful. So much safer to be alone with her plants. HAZEL: Emery’s older sister. She’s been a waitress at the Millerville Diner for way too long, taken care of Emery even longer. Frustrated and powerless, a rage roiling just beneath the surface. She could have done so much with her life. Is it too late? LUANNE: (you may already know her from Be Here Now) Early 20’s. Incredibly sweet and guileless. Hungry for joy, for a tribe, for something larger to believe in. PLACE: Emery's treehouse in Millerville, a small, fictional town in upstate NY, about a hundred miles from Manhattan. Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park -- premiere 2/2022
Directed by Noah Himmelstein Emery: Tarah Flanagan Hazel: Tasha Lawrence Luanne: Emily Kratter Set by Se Hyun Oh Lighting by David Lander Puppetry by Betsy Rosen Costumes by Gordon DeVinney Sound and music by Megumi Katayama Mikki Schaffner Photography 
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Reviews:
https://medium.com/the-sappy-critic/red-speedo-and-rooted-both-must-sees-in-cincinnati-a5d8ad033a92 “Rooted” in the Shelterhouse at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is so good. Like… SO good. The acting, the script, the sound design, the lighting, and what I think is probably my new favorite set (by Se Hyun Oh) ever — it all comes together for a delightfully funny, heartwarming, and delicious night of theatre." "Deborah Zoe Laufer is a brilliant writer and director Noah Himmelstein used the space very well as he brought all components together to tell a beautiful, moving, and very funny story." "It’s such a great story and such a great play. Go see it if you can. You won’t be sorry." https://www.citybeat.com/arts/review-playhouse-world-premiere-rooted-grows-from-humor-to-understanding-12678345 CRITIC's PICK "Deborah Zoe Laufer’s world premiere play, Rooted — a commission presently onstage at the Playhouse in the Park — is a beguiling work. At first, its three offbeat women feel a bit like characters in a sitcom, and they’re certainly the source of much laugh-out-loud humor. But before long, a rather profound message about belief and connection comes through, making this 95-minute show genuinely satisfying." |
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Cincinnati, OH, 2/2022 Premiere
Lyric Stage Boston, MA, 5/2023
Horizon Theatre Atlanta, GA, 9/2023
Theatre Lab Boca Raton, FL 1/2024, Directed by me
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Cincinnati, OH, 2/2022 Premiere
Lyric Stage Boston, MA, 5/2023
Horizon Theatre Atlanta, GA, 9/2023
Theatre Lab Boca Raton, FL 1/2024, Directed by me