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.

SummerWorks Festival / Various Venues / Various Times / $15
Every year the SummerWorks Festival seems to swell larger with the most talented of the city's artists. This year features, without a doubt, the strongest theatre lineup in the festival's history. And with government funding reinstated, SummerWorks is on-track for a banner year of diverse and engaging performance in all shapes and sizes. You need only flip through the programme to see that there's an overwhelming amount of must-see material. Check out our Festival preview to plan your viewing schedule.

The Crucible / Soulpepper - Young Centre / 7:30pm/1:30pm / $22-$68
It's hard to determine how a play becomes a Classic. But there's no doubt that the work of Arthur Miller has held up over time as a touchstone of our modern fears. The Crucible is Miller's account of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, a striking allegory of 1950s McCarthyism and the hunt for communists. Soulpepper does Miller well, and with the likes of Oliver Dennis, Patricia Fagan, Stuart Hughes, Nancy Palk, Gregory Prest, and Mike Ross in the cast, this is one Classic not to miss.

Memory In The Mud / Evergreen Brick Works / 2:00pm / $10-$20
Words in Motion is an educational arts organization that presents the stories of people who make our country great. Their latest project is a movable drama and historical tour around Evergreen Brick Works. The tour profiles inhabitants of the Brick Works throughout the ages — Canadian geologist Arthur Coleman, German POWs who worked there during their internment, industrial brickmakers, and the homeless who squatted there during the depression.

Two Gentlemen of Verona / Shakespeare in the Ruff - Withrow Park / 7:30pm / PWYC
The new kids on the block, so to speak, Shakespeare in the Ruff is a promising collection of young artists who have the late summer slot in Withrow Park. Kudos to the team for picking a less obvious comedy for outdoor theatre. Headed by Brendan McMurtry Howlett, the team plans to present community-based Shakespeare in Riverdale and Leslieville with a focus on youth mentorship, partnership with local members, and nurturing young artists.

Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (Abridged) / Casa Loma / 7:00pm/9:30pm / $30-$50
Casa Loma is a fitting location for the plays of William Shakespeare. In The Complete Works, three performers take audiences through all 37 of the Bard's plays in 97 minutes. Since it premiered at the 1987 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the play has been a smash hit with audiences around the world. Classical Theatre Project presents this Shakespeare feast on August 15 and 29.

Lead photo depicts the cast of Marine Life, on at this year's SummerWorks Festival