Theseus, the Duke of Athens, will soon marry Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. The courtier Egeus approaches Theseus with a problem. His daughter, Hermia, refuses to marry Demetrius, who is the man Egeus has approved. Theseus warns Hermia that she must obey her parents, and as a result, the young couple determine to run away. They divulge their plan to their friend, Helena, who was once engaged to Demetrius and still loves him. Helena tells Demetrius and the two follow Hermia and Lysander into the woods on a midsummer night.
In another part of the wood an amateur troupe of actors is planning to rehearse a play for the upcoming wedding. Their star is a weaver named Bottom.
Unbeknownst to the humans, the fairy court is also in the woods. Titania, the fairy queen, has been quarreling with her husband, Oberon. With the aid of the sprite Puck, Oberon plays a trick on his wife. He uses a magical flower to enchant Titania so that she will fall in love with the first person she sees. This person happens to be Bottom, whom Puck has given the head of a donkey. Oberon thinks to use the magical flower to set things right with Demetrius and Helena, but Puck somehow mistakes Lysander for Demetrius. Realizing his mistake, he applies the flower juice to Demetrius as well, with the result that both men now love Helena.
Will true love win out? Will Titania forever dote on a donkey? Will Bottom be restored to his troupe in time for the Duke’s wedding?