Grandmother leaves Lily a large chest containing all her friends can imagine; without imagination, the chest appears empty. Karkino, a ghostly hypnotist, threatens their creative spirit by planting self-defeating messages in their minds; however, he only lives as long as his debilitating messages stick. Lily makes allies of the audience and combats Karkino with her own self-assurance, reinforced by the audience, until the hypnotist is conquered and Lily's friends recover their strength. The Chest of Dreams is written for young adults to perform for children 6 to 10 years old. It is a keenly perceptive play about self-esteem'with a fresh point of view. It celebrates young people's intelligence, their zest for life and their capacity to unite in the face of danger. Bare stage. Music in book.