With 2012 touted as the End of Days by groups citing the conclusion of the Mayan calendar, heightened interest in the unlikely event of our demise has brought a renewed focus to the environmental movement. Enter Ronnie Burkett and the marionettes of his newest touring show, Penny Plain, where the end of the world takes place in the living room of a blind senior citizen.

There's a moment in Other People where Petra, an intelligent writer who dances to support herself, articulates the collective yearning that pulses throughout the drama. She identifies this desire as if she'd never considered it before: "People want love." What's more difficult for her to say, but true of each and every character, is that they're all searching for this elusive state of being.

This week in theatre rounds up the most noteworthy live theatre playing right now in Toronto. It includes just-opened shows as well as productions that are about to close.

Caroline, or Change / Berkeley Street Theatre / 8:00pm/2:00pm / $18-$45
As far as accolades go, Caroline, or Change is one of the most decorated new musicals of the young century — it has won a Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Obie award. Caroline is a maid for a Southern family. When the loss of their mother hits the family hard, especially the young son Noah, Caroline must soldier on amidst the upheaval around them. It's one of the strongest new musicals in recent memory.

Roland Schimmelphennig's Peggy Pickit Sees the Face of God, on-stage last fall as part of Another Africa, was deceivingly naturalistic in its depiction of a dinner party gone wrong, save for the African statue that watched over the group. His latest work to hit the Toronto stage, The Golden Dragon, is a more overt exercise in the magic realism that colours the playwright's work.

This week in theatre rounds up the most noteworthy live theatre playing right now in Toronto. There are a number of shows full of Holiday cheer that run until the New Year.

Other People / Young Centre for the Performing Arts / 8:00pm/2:30pm / $15-$22
Playwright Christopher Shinn's work appeared on stage this past fall at the Toronto Free Gallery where his play Dying City opened to great acclaim. Less than two months later, another of his plays, Other People, continues the showcase of Shinn's unique style. In the play, three young New Yorkers in the East village debate sex, art, friendship, and desire at Christmas. It's up for a short run until January 28.

You're bound to be surprised when you see a production from Robert Lepage. Whether it's the visual artistry of the projections and filmic techniques, or the expert weaving of story and metaphor, Lepage has a knack for creating large scale narratives that question expectations.