This simplified and shortened version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream offers an introduction to Shakespeare for first time readers and audiences. The play presents a mix of Elizabethan and contemporary English. Speaking directly to the audience, a fairy, introduces scenes containing original Shakespearean dialogue. This play is intended to be read by middle school age students. Shakespeare’s original wording is left intact, but some line placement, punctuation and capitalization have been changed to make reading easier. For high school theater groups, the mixed dialogue provides a range of roles to suit a group’s experience and talent. Stronger students can perform the original Shakespeare while other cast members deliver a less difficult (for both performers and audience) conversion of the play.