About This Book

With the death of his parents, Nathan Field has experienced tragedy in his own life. But it's a Shakespearean comedy that brings him to the New Globe, a reconstruction of the London theater where Shakespeare's plays were first performed. The American Company of Boys takes a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream to London, and they choose Nathan to be their Puck. Nathan is thrilled, but once in London, he wakes up to find himself in Elizabethan England. Here he rehearses the play in the original Globe, and plays opposite Shakespeare himself. Those around him believe that he has been sent from an exclusive boys' school, so they don't question his strange accent or manner. Although Nathan is nervous about what will happen to him next, he grows to love acting with Shakespeare's troupe. He even gets to perform for Queen Elizabeth! With Shakespeare's help, Nathan finally begins to heal from the loss of his father. Shakespeare gives Nathan one of his own sonnets to keep, and promises to write a part for him. The day after Nathan performs for the queen, he wakes up in a 20th century London hospital. It seems that he and an Elizabethan Nathan Field were switched — the Elizabethan Nathan was cured of Bubonic Plague in the London hospital while 20th century Nathan took his bows with Shakespeare. Arby, his theater director, admits that he arranged the switch so that Shakespeare wouldn't be exposed to the plague and die before he had a chance to write many of his greatest plays. Although Nathan is sad to lose his opportunity to be with Shakespeare, Arby cheers him by showing him a character he had clearly inspired — the part of Ariel in The Tempest.