Loneliness In Tim Miller's Play 'Rooted'

As stated by Annette Simmons, “If you wish to influence an individual or a group to embrace a particular value in their daily lives, tell them a compelling story.” This single quote is the perfect sentence to describe the play “Rooted.” Tim Miller performed a one man show exemplifying his personal story while connecting such harsh and brutal political truths. During his performance, Miller explained that him and his partner Alistair, are not alone. At this particular moment, I had an overwhelming sense of awareness because the idea of ‘loneliness’ is common among people struggling internally and externally. While explaining the different aspects of his story, Miller addresses a time in his life when he was ripped from Alistair’s hands and was

Miller kept the attention of the audience with jokes and allusions to Trump. However, when Miller explained the hardships he experiences, I could sense a feel of compassion from the audience. When explaining his story about being nine years old and telling another boy he wanted to marry him, I related to him because I remember being in elementary school telling a boy named Andrew that I wanted to marry him. I never told another girl I wanted to be with her, but I understood his overwhelming amount of courage at a young age to express the feelings he had towards another human being. If I had to create a story of myself, I would incorporate more people to gather different perspectives; however, I would keep the effective light cues. Something as subtle as light helped guide his story. Miller never explained the personal hardships of another gay couple; however, in the question and answer session following the play, a student asked for advice to give to their gay friend. Miller suggesting providing support and affirmation, but no advice was given in the play itself. If I were recreating a story life this, I would provide advice for those who may have been afraid to ask the question. “Rooted” serves as a perfect example to explain that “Stories create community, enable us to see through the eyes of other people, and open us to the claims of