"Shakespeare for Kids" is now in its sixth version of making the works of William Shakespeare accessible to children at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.

This year, it's the "Macbeth Edition," through Aug. 2, Main Stage, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley.

Philadelphia native and DeSales University graduate Matthew Pfeiffer directs the "Shakespeare for Kids" program.

"I started as an intern in 1997 and have worked for the company [PSF] ever since," says Pfeiffer. "The festival itself is 23-years-old and with 'Shakespeare for Kids,' we produce a play or musical every year for younger audiences."

With the "Macbeth Edition," the company aims to get to the core of the story in a way that children can understand. The one-hour piece is written by Erin Sheffield.

"It's a lot less bloody than the traditional version," says Pfeiffer. "We use puppets and lollipops instead of daggers and swords.

"Macbeth and his wife still try to take down all their rivals but by different means.

"We don't attempt to dumb the play down for the younger audience. The moral of the story is evident: that you can't just take what you want, you have to earn it. If you do good, good things will come to you."

In the "Shakespeare for Kids" version of "Macbeth," four young actors make up Team Shakespeare, a group of modern-day actors is given the task of putting on a Shakespeare play. As the play evolves, the character who plays Macbeth develops his own inflated ego.

"The kids in the audience learn how Macbeth's ego grows as demonstrated by a member of Team Shakespeare's own ego," says Peiffer.

His favorite part of working on "Shakespeare for Kids" is the opportunity to introduce children to the timeless works of Shakespeare.

"We give parents an opportunity to bring Shakespeare to life in an interesting and fun way. We are demystifying Shakespeare in a way that the kids don't grow up thinking that Shakespeare is something above them, or too smart for them," says Pfeiffer.

Though written for children ages 4 to 10, Pfeiffer says, "Adults and children will enjoy the show. There really is something for everyone."