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Oberon, Titania and Puck speak to each other in a mix of Spanish and English -- sometimes with a French accent.

Sound weird -- and confusing? Well, it happens in Shakespeare in the Parque's bilingual performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" ("El Sueno de Una Noche de Verano"). This theater group has produced a 50-minute English and Spanish version of William Shakespeare's play that is meant to be easy for kids to understand.

Easy to understand? You probably think Shakespeare is hard enough to understand in English. How is anyone supposed to understand it in English and Spanish at once?

Well, the play's the thing, as Shakespeare would say. Freddy Ortega, 9, said he had trouble understanding what his teacher was reading to him in class until he came to see the bilingual play.

"After this performance I feel that I understand Shakespeare better and I would like to learn more about Shakespeare's life and plays," said Freddy, who lives in Tenleytown.

During the play, the actors switch back and forth between English and Spanish. There is no interpretation; the actors speak a mix of Spanish and English as if the two were one language.

Some kids in the audience didn't speak the two languages, but the characters and action helped them understand the story.

"I really liked the play," said William Zepeda, 12. "There was a lot of magic, fighting and drama."

Doing a play in two languages isn't as weird as you might think, especially in the Washington area.

"We want to create a space where kids can come with their parents who might not speak English as fluently as they do, so they can enjoy Shakespeare together. This is also a tool for kids who are learning Spanish," said Megan Owens, who directs and acts in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

A few other theater groups produce bilingual plays because of the increasing number of people in the area who speak Spanish.

BAPA's Imagination Stage, the Bethesda children's theater, is putting on "Cinderella Eats Rice and Beans: A Salsa Fairytale." It's the story of a Cinderella-like girl who comes to the United States to learn English.

Scriptwriter Karen Zacarias said kids who speak Spanish are happy to see Spanish-speaking actors on stage, while those who don't understand the language can still enjoy the show.

"Language is not a barrier for understanding what is happening to Cinderella," Zacarias said. "The kids are very smart, plus theater is a common human language."

-- Luz Lazo