Nearly 500 years after his birth, William Shakespeare continues to reign supreme. 

From Romeo and Juliet to Hamlet to Macbeth to A Midsummer Night's Dream, his plays are the blueprint for the thousands of playwrights who have followed him, serving as the foundation of the English language stage as we now know it. His works are often people's first introduction to drama, and for many actors, conquering a piece from his "classic" canon is a career must.

But what about the real William Shakespeare? We know his work, but what do we know of the man? Hamnet, based on Maggie O'Farrell award-winning novel, is the latest drama to bring Shakespeare's own life to the forefront. While Paul Mescal's Shakespeare is positively swoon-worthy in the new film, directed by Chloe Zhao and in theatres now, that got us at Playbill thinking: What are the other times that Shakespeare has been a character, and not just a name in the program?

Below, we look back at five stage depictions that inspire us to look closer at the real life of the Bard of Avon.

1. & Juliet

Similar to Hamnet, the musical & Juliet is all about the relationship between Shakespeare and his wife, Anne Hathaway (yes, that was her name). While much of their dynamics in & Juliet is fictionalized for the sake of comedy (and in service of the show's jukebox structure), it is born from a handful of historical facts about their relationship, including the death of their son Hamnet, Shakespeare's long absences from their home in Stratford, and his bequeathing Anne his "second best bed" in his will. Now running at the Sondheim Theatre on Broadway, & Juliet's blend of irreverence and emotional pathos result in a depiction of Shakespeare that will make you laugh and sigh in equal measure as you cheer Anne on in her journey to recognition. 

2. The Frogs

Stephen Sondheim and Burt Shevelove's The Frogs may be a deep cut for casual theatre fans. But for true theatre obsessives, the conflict between William Shakespeare and George Bernard Shaw is sure to summon guffaws. In the freely adapted comedy musical, the Greek God Dionysus travels to the underworld in search of humanity's greatest dramatist. When he and his motley crew arrive, a battle of wits ensues, with Shakespeare narrowly coming out on top over a formidable rival: George Bernard Shaw. The piece ends with Dionysus reviving Shakespeare, bringing him back to the world of the living in the hope that his presence will inspire a new outpouring of art to save civilization. Much of Shakespeare's dialogue in the musical is directly quoted from his real-life work, blurring the lines between art and artist in a satisfying way for theatrical purists and cultural satirists alike.

3. Something Rotten!

Something Rotten! may be entirely ahistorical, but goodness isn't it fun! In the musical comedy, Shakespeare is transformed into an egomaniacal celebrity whose star power threatens the continued existence of his dramatic rivals. With a rockstar entrance, multiple show-stopping numbers, and a truly explosive tap dance battle, Christian Borle's Tony-winning portrayal of Shakespeare is such a deliciously fun ride that his disconnect from the actual person is wholesale forgiven. 

4. Shakespeare in Love

Based on the Oscar-winning film of the same name by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, the play Shakespeare in Love takes major liberties with Shakespeare's real life in favor of a more gripping historical romance. Using the poetry of Shakespeare as its base, rather than his real life, the show depicts a fictional love affair between Shakespeare and an actress, Viola de Lesseps, during the writing of Romeo and Juliet. While several characters are based on historical figures—and many of the characters, lines, and plot devices allude to Shakespeare's plays—the majority of the story plays fast and loose with historical accuracy. It is, instead, a depiction of Shakespeare as a romantic archetypal, conjuring the great love that must have inspired his genius.

5. Bingo

If Shakespeare in Love is a rendering of Shakespeare at his most romantic, Bingo depicts the Bard at his most practical. Written by Edward Bond, the play (based on true events) explores Shakespeare's life as a landowner in his final years. Depressed and introspective, Bond's Shakespeare is less interested in art than he is financial security, as death looms on the horizon. Originated by the great John Gielgud, this depiction of Shakespeare has proved controversial for its unflinchingly negative portrayal of a man whose life has been so thoroughly mythologized across the centuries. Nevertheless, the piece has remained at the top of mind for many who wish to get to know the real man, with a 2012 West End revival starring Patrick Stewart reigniting debates on the difference between the man and the myth.

Now, Hamnet seeks to stoke the same debate. The tragic tale, which centers on the crumbling relationship between Shakespeare and his wife (rechristened Agnes) following the death of their son Hamnet, attempts to bridge the connection between tragedy and artistic ascendency as Shakespeare channels his grief into perhaps his greatest work, Hamlet. Nearly 500 years on, it is clear that audiences still yearn to discover more about the Bard himself.

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Photos: Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in Hamnet Film

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