Anne Hathaway was married to William Shakespeare for nearly 34 years, until his death in 1616. What was she like? What kind of relationship did she have with her famous husband? That’s been largely left a mystery to historians — but a delicious mystery for creators of fiction to play with.

This bonus episode delves into two fresh and thrilling depictions of Anne Hathaway: the hit Broadway musical “& Juliet” and new, intimate two-person play “Muse of Fire.”

Previous works imagining Shakespeare’s life have not been kind to Anne Hathaway, leaving her behind in Stratford-upon-Avon, illiterate, and often cheated on by her husband. “& Juliet” and “Muse of Fire,” meanwhile, both depict Anne and Will Shakespeare working through some marital challenges but ultimately as a couple head over heels for each other and Anne as a vivacious, strong-willed woman.

Anne Hathaway is having her moment on the big screen too — this episode also features some discussion of the portrayal of Anne aka Agnes in the film and book “Hamnet.”

Also discussed: what’s up with Shakespeare leaving his wife the “second-best bed” in his will, plus the new research that revealed that the real Anne Hathaway — contrary to assumptions she remained in Stratford — may have joined her playwright husband living in London.

Guests on this episode:

• Teal Wicks (she/her) is currently playing Anne Hathaway in “& Juliet” on Broadway, after playing the role in the first North American tour of the hit musical. Among her previous Broadway credits are the 2013 revival of the “Jekyll & Hyde” musical, “Finding Neverland,” “The Cher Show,” and “Wicked,” starring as Elphaba in 2011.

• Lauren Gunderson (she/her) has repeatedly been among the most-produced playwrights in the U.S., topping the list (which excludes Shakespeare!) four times over the past decade. Her writing credits include the plays “I and You,” “Silent Sky,” the Pemberley trilogy, “A Room in the Castle,” and “The Book of Will.” Her new play “Muse of Fire” has had workshop readings at the Colorado New Play Festival and the Prague Shakespeare Company and will have its first fully staged production at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco in Fall 2026.

For related articles and other links, visit shakespearesshadows.com/hathaway-learn-more

William Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson — both are frequently declared to be among the very best writers in the English language. And now, for Dickinson’s 195th birthday, the time has come to delve into both iconic poets on Shakespeare’s Shadows.

This bonus episode spotlights the Peabody Award-winning Apple TV series “Dickinson,” particularly looking back at the series’ fifth episode, when Emily and her siblings host Shakespeare Club. Emily (played by Hailee Steinfeld) chooses “Othello” for the club’s latest gathering. The play ends up being a contentious choice for these young people growing up in the years approaching the American Civil War, a launchpad for “Dickinson” to explore questions of privilege and identity.

Featuring interviews with “Dickinson” alums from both behind and in front of the camera, we discuss how the series’ writers packed so much into that one episode of the show, their memories from making that special episode including one fabulous montage dripping with Shakespearean Easter eggs, and why fans of Shakespeare should spend more time with Emily Dickinson’s poetry.

Guests on this episode are:

• Alena Smith (she/her), creator and showrunner of “Dickinson,” which was released on Apple TV from 2019 to 2021. She holds an MFA in playwriting from the Yale School of Drama. Among her published plays are “The New Splendid,” “The Bad Guys,” and “Plucker.” Currently she is an executive producer and writer on FX’s upcoming limited series “Cry Wolf.”

• Adrian Blake Enscoe (he/they), who plays Emily Dickinson’s brother, Austin, in “Dickinson.” Adrian was in the Broadway original cast of the musical “Swept Away.” They are a member of the folk-pop-americana trio Bandits on the Run, which released their latest EP, “The Shakespeare Tapes,” in May 2025.

Also appearing in this bonus episode is poet, actor, and teaching artist Melissa Lauricella Bergstrom reading the Dickinson poem “I am afraid to own a Body,” the poem that inspired the title of the Shakespeare Club “Dickinson” episode.

This episode contains explicit language and discussion of racism and slavery.