Fairies, spurned lovers, and befuddled humans visited the Onset Bandshell Monday night for the third annual installment of Shakespeare on Vacation, a free theater event run during the summer in Onset.

This year, the Shakespeare on Vacation troupe is performing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which focuses on four youths and a fairy queen, all of whom get fantastically wrapped up in the machinations of the fairy king. On Monday, the actors played to a crowd of about 50 people, who drifted in and out of the park, much like the sprites in the play.

Producer Jessica Wilson said this crowd was slightly bigger than it had been in previous years, and that Sunday’s opening night performance saw an audience of almost 100 people. She said the event, which runs through the end of July, is a good way to bring something special to the people of Wareham.

“There is a lot of economic depression, and I think art is one of the first things to get cut in most budgets,” Wilson said. “We saw that with the library, and we see that with the schools.”

The troupe recently split from Buzzards Play Productions, over what Stage Manager Melissa Genereau called “creative differences.”

“We are looking for, at some point, to become an independent troupe,” Genereau said. “The Onset Bay Association has been very generous in helping with that transition.”

Director Cheryl Groves said she chose the play because, as a first-time director, it was a play she felt very comfortable producing.

“I, myself, have been in it a few times as an actress,” Groves said. “It has always been one of my favorite shows.”

Groves said she enjoys the venue, because it's almost like a Shakespeare in the Park event, which happens in larger cities like Boston and New York. She said it encourages people, who would otherwise just be passing by, to stop and watch the show.

“They can learn a little about Shakespeare,” Groves said. “The cast really knows what they are saying -- it’s not just a show with funny-sounding words and language.”

The play runs on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays throughout July, starting at 6:30 p.m. The entire performance is 90 minutes long, with no intermission. Donations are encouraged.