With the heat index soaring yet again, “Pretty Fire” seems an apt title to feature in this week’s listings, no? Spend more than 10 minutes outside and you may feel pretty on fire too. With record temperatures Monday and Tuesday, staying cool should be on your to-do list all week long.

Aside from camping out at one of Ann Arbor’s awesome pools, sitting in an air-conditioned theater is one perfect way to beat the heat. Leave your bug spray and sunscreen at home and step into a cool theater for an hour or two’s respite.

Each of this week’s listings will take you away from Ann Arbor’s Art Fair mania so easy parking and an enjoyable, stress-free night are practically guaranteed. Bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated, and make sure to leave your pets indoors. This heat is no laughing matter.

Show: “Pretty Fire” by Charlayne Woodard, through August 4
Company: Threefold Productions
Type of Company: Pre-professional
Recommended ages: 16+
Venue/location: Mix Performance Space, 130 W. Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti
Description: The show follows one woman’s struggle to find her voice in a small suburb of New York during the Civil Rights era. Woodard’s one-woman show is a non-traditional theatrical piece, separated into a series of short vignettes that transports audiences back home, wherever that may be.
Fun fact: Playwright Charlayne Woodard was one of the original cast members in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical "Ain't Misbehavin'," and in 2009, starred in a one-person performance called "The Night Watcher" at Primary Stages in New York City. In 2011, the production moved to the Kirk Douglas Theater and her performance won the LA Drama Critics Circle Award for Solo Performance.
For tickets and information: www.threefoldproductions.org

Show: "CAPtivating Rhythm: Celebrating 40 Years," a musical revue
Company: Chelsea Area Players
Type of Company: Community
Venue/location: George Prinzing Auditorium, Washington Street Education Center (former Chelsea High School), 500 Washington St., Chelsea
Recommended ages: All
Description: This unique musical revue is a tribute to Chelsea Area Players' first 40 years of theater, including favorite songs from "The Sound of Music," "Fiddler on the Roof," "Guys and Dolls," "Beauty and the Beast," and "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown!" Come share in the celebration!
Fun fact: Each cast member plays themselves. Players "discover" costume or props from a former CAP show, and use them to inspire the next number. The cast and director Carrie Jay Sayer created the show together, based on the diverse talents of the group and their passion for musical theatre.
For tickets and information: www.ChelseaAreaPlayers.org

Show: “Fiddler on the Roof” music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein, through August 12
Company: The Encore Musical Theatre Company
Type of Company: Equity Special Appearance and non-Equity
Venue/location: The Encore Musical Theatre Company, 3126 Broad Street, Dexter
Recommended ages: All
Description: In the village of Anatevka, Tevye, a poor dairyman, tries to instill in his five daughters the traditions of his tight-knit Jewish community in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Rich in historical and ethnic detail, the beloved show has touched audiences around the world with its humor, warmth, and honesty.
Review from AnnArbor.com
Fun fact: The original Broadway production of the show, which opened in 1964, had the first musical theatre run in history to surpass 3,000 performances. Fiddler held the record for the longest-running Broadway musical for almost 10 years until Grease surpassed its run. It remains Broadway's fifteenth longest-running show in history. The production was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning nine, including Best Musical, score, book, direction and choreography.
For tickets and information: www.theencoretheatre.org, 734-268-6200
Special ticket offer: Preview Thursday on July 12th - all tickets at $18

Show: “On Golden Pond”, by Ernest Thompson, through September 1
Company: Purple Rose Theatre Company
Type of Company: Professional Equity (SPT)
Venue/location: 137 Park Street, Chelsea
Recommended ages: 13+ (some mature language)
Description: This charming love story follows Ethel and Norman Thayer as they return to their summer home in Maine. Their respite is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of their estranged daughter, her fiance, and his teenage son. Over the course of the summer, an unlikely friendship develops between Norman and the boy, which sparks a renewed zest for life in the Thayer family. In the twilight years of marriage, Ethel and Norman rediscover the joy and romance of everyday living.
Review from Examiner.com
Fun fact: All the music used before, during and after the play was composed and recorded specifically for the PRTC production by Dan Bilich and Tom Whalen.
For tickets and information: 734-433-7673 or www.purplerosetheatre.org