Aren Hugo
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
On Friday, Amphibian Stage in Fort Worth will kick off its first show of the year. In Rooted, Emery is a plant lover whose safe haven is an expansive treehouse. But in Deborah Zoe Laufe’s oddball comedy, Emery is mistaken for a savior via the internet as fans amass outside her house, and plants and people come to a reckoning when all Emery wanted to do was hang out with her green friends.
All the while, her caregiver and sister Hazel navigates a tricky relationship with Emery amidst this swell of notoriety.
Rooted opens on Friday, Jan. 31 and runs through Feb. 16.
For director Scott Evans, the play is about relationships and connection and the power that comes with those.
“This story about a woman in a treehouse who accidentally starts a cult is fantastic commentary on internet culture and hero worship run amok, and absolutely perfect fodder for comedy,” Evans said in the play’s announcement. “But at the heart of Deb’s play are these beautifully written characters and these rich relationships that allow this quirky comedy to open up and explore things like the complex relationship between science and belief, and the transformative power of human connection — all in surprisingly nuanced and insightful ways.”
As the play unfolds, LuAnne, a bright-eyed follower played by Aren Hugo (she/they), connects with Emery over shared experiences.
“When she comes in, she kind of shifts and wiggles her way with Emery, but I’m reluctant to say more because her relationship with Emery is special to discover,” she said.
The director added that there is something profound within the laughs of Rooted. The sisters have their own dynamic. Then LuAnne happens. Each character brings a unique layer to this story.
“These women are hysterical and heartbreaking and utterly delightful, and before long, you realize that amongst all the laughs is something quite moving, perhaps even profound,” Evans mentioned. “It’s great theater.”
The 24-year-old Hugo is making her Amphibian debut with Rooted. She’s been seen on stage at Shakespeare Dallas, WaterTower Theatre and Altar’d Playhouse. But the Dallas-based actor had her sights set on the Fort Worth company.
Plus, when she saw the audition call, Hugo said she felt like she knew this character.
“We’re about the same age, and she’s so full of joy and light. But the interesting part of her character is trying to maintain that joy. I felt like a lot of her was already me, so I felt very prepared,” she said.
And of Amphibian Theater, she said, “I’ve wanted to work there for the longest time, ever since I watched a professor of mine in a show there.”
Hugo added that she finds LuAnne exists in a nebulous place who doesn’t live in labels but knows what she wants or needs.
That gave Hugo some additional parallels and connection. The actor identifies as female but nonconforming; she is on her own journey of understanding her own identity.
“First, I want to acknowledge that I’m femme-presenting, which does come with a certain amount of privilege, and I know that’s not something everyone experiences,” Hugo said. “But for me, I think my first understanding came when I didn’t like being called ‘ma’am.’ That really affected me, so I tried different pronouns, and it feels right.”
Her friends helped as well. Hugo described her friend group as guides along in this path.
“They really had a grasp on aspects of understanding identity,” she said.
Hugo added that her own identity hasn’t played a part in the type of roles she goes for, but she appreciates that there is a space for everyone in the North Texas theaterscape.
“Theaters are so flexible in how they cast. I feel comfortable auditioning for a typically male role, and most theaters are on board. Theaters just allow us to audition for whatever we want and that’s lovely,” Hugo said.
“I feel, as a creative, when there is an openness like that, it feels safer and comfortable to create in what you make.”
For tickets, visit AmphibianStage.com.