Rooted at the Playhouse in the Park

Deborah Zoe Laufer’s world premiere play, Rooted 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. Emery Harris is an eccentric amateur botanist. She’s lived in a treehouse for more than a decade, accessible only by climbing a rope and entering through a hatch that she keeps tightly secured. Despite her lack of scientific training, she’s been conducting experiments to communicate with plants and posting her research on YouTube. As it turns out, Emery’s research has developed a significant online following of people looking for emotional healing.