Synopsis
Though they have been developed, the
personalities of the characters and the main events remain true to the
content of the original dream, upon which Lisa’s Room: A Dream is based. The
exaggeration of the characters (Lisa, Father, Raggedy-Andy, Clown Doll,
and the Drum Majorette) is deliberate and the opera develops through a
series of juxtaposed scenes which present a kind of dream logic—as
opposed to an everyday sequence of explainable and chronological events. It
remains a dream, with certain recognizable dream elements: high energy,
unexplained twists, highly symbolic gestures, and adamant, foolish and
heroic characters. Vaudevillian antics, marches, the smart and sassy
moves of a Drum Majorette, and a play within the play all demand a
choreographer and stage director well-versed in natural and theatrical
movement styles. In a nutshell, young Lisa ultimately attains a degree
of personal autonomy after wading through the obstructions of her
Father, and the dizzying inspirations and aspirations of the Dolls and
Drum Majorette. The tone of the opera is poignant, absurd and funny.