From great sitar music to boxing

Children are in for an enchanting time at Pretoria's Irene Village Theatre until April 14 as the classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast takes to the stage.

THEATRE

The delightful production brings you the musical tale of a young prince who is transformed into a beast and the beautiful young woman whose love saves him. Tickets begin from R65 each through Computicket.

. MAKE a date with Alice, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire cat and some of Lewis Carroll's other magical characters in Alice in her Wonderland at the Johannesburg Barnyard theatre in Cresta today and tomorrow. The whole family can enjoy this production. Tickets are R50 per person. Call 0112804370 for show times or book online at barnyardtheatres.co.za.

. IF you missed it last time, you can catch it now. In the hilarious local play, The Chilli Boy, actor Matthew Ribnick returns as an old Indian woman reincarnated as a white gangster in Boksburg. On at Durban's Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre from Thursday. Tickets begin at R60 through Computicket.

. MAGIC, humour and spectacle await you at the Cape Town Artscape Theatre's rendition of the Shakespearian comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream as of Tuesday. Ticketsto the shows, which run until April 21, are R40 through Computicket.

. BETRAYAL, lust, deceit and mass hysteria are tackled in Arthur Miller's play, The Crucible, on at the Durban BAT Centre until April 29. Based on the Salem witch trials of 1692, the play delves into the consequences of the false accusations and persecution of a small community by a group of girls. Tickets R90 at Computicket.

. ENJOY fresh stage talent at a series of free shows during the Community Arts Festival which kicks off at the Durban Playhouse's Loft theatre on Thursday. The five shows tackle issues ranging from female identity to the harsh realities of being unable to find a job. Call 0313699596/9540 for more information.

MUSIC

. CELEBRATED sitar maestro Shujaat Khan performs at the Cape Town Baxter hall on Saturday at 8pm and at the Johannesburg Lyric theatre next Sunday at 4pm. Tickets to the Celebration of Sitar performances are available through Computicket from R200 each.

. FIGHT global warming with rock band the Parlotones at their Carbon Free concert on April 21. Tickets are already available from R161 each through Computicket for their show at Carnival City.

. 1950s, '60s and '70s rock with a dash of pop and a smattering of country music are on offer at Durban band Salty Dog's performance at the LIVE The Venue next Sunday. Expect to hear songs from Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and many others. Tickets are R30 each. Call 0314661046.

TRAINING

. TAKE charge of your life with the Saris For Good Karma self-employment project, which is opening a recruitment process in Phoenix. The project is seeking 25 unemployed women from the area between the ages of 25 and 45 who want to learn sewing and business skills to open their own home industry, and eventually their own store. You have to be a woman, have a matric certificate and a willingness to learn, live within 15km of the Phoenix Youth Centre in Whetstone, Phoenix, and be able to commit to attending three classes a week and one motivational session. The four-month course is free and you will receive an NQF Level 2 certificate on completion. Entry closing date is April 21. Contact 031 303 5668 or email info@sarisforgoodkarma.org.

HERITAGE

. PAY homage to Mahatma Gandhi and Inkosi Albert Luthuli and the Freedom Charter at the free Annual Gandhi Salt March 2012 next Sunday. Gather at Durban's Kings Park Stadium between 5am and 6.15am to board buses to Phoenix for the 16km march back to the stadium at 7am. Children and the elderly can also take part in this family event. Refreshments will be available along the way. Online entries can be made at www.gdt.co.za or at the march. You are advised to wear takkies, a sun hat and a pouch with necessary items.

FUNDRAISING

. REVEL in an evening of glamour while helping to pay for the tissue-typing of potentially life-saving bone marrow donations with the Sunflower Fund. The organisation will host a "Circle of Life" charity ball on May 18 and invites you to book your seat at R600 or a table for 10 at R6000 for the Durban Elangeni Hotel-hosted event. Tickets will include sparkling wine on arrival, a three-course meal, an Elizabeth Arden gift for each woman and amazing entertainment. To book, contact Stephanie Berry on 0782079041 or e-mail steph@sunflowerfund.org.za.

FESTIVALS

. SOAK up the sounds of jazz music, cheer on talent show contestants, dig for Easter eggs and join the children in sing-alongs on Umhlanga main beach at the Umhlanga Easter Carnival today. The music begins at 3pm.

RELIGION

. THE Shri Vishnu Temple Society holds its annual general meeting next Sunday at the Shri Vishnu temple in Chatsworth from 2pm. Call 0313033730 for more information.

HEALTH

. DIABETES survivor Kantilal Lalla will give a talk on his experiences and lifestyle after 47 years of living with the condition. The event is on at the Malabar Diabetes support group meeting on Tuesday. The meeting will be at the Malabar Community Centre Minor Hall from 7pm. Call the support group's co-ordinators on 0414574576 or 0414575447 for more information.

SPORT

. ADRENALIN junkies and lovers of fast cars can get their fix of extreme sports action at the Atomic Junkies Extreme Sports Festival at Durban's Suncoast Casino today. The festival promises a showcase of breathtaking FMX, BMX, supercar and modified performance car stunts by world-class participants. Tickets are R50 each for adults and R25 each for children through webtickets.co.za. The show begins at 10am and finishes at 6pm.

. BOXING fans in Cape Town have the chance to experience the Extreme Fighting Championship in their own backyard for the first time this month as the Grand West arena hosts EFC Africa. Durban's Dallas Jakobi squares up to Brazilian Jadyson Costa on Friday at 6.30pm for the EFC welterweight title in one of 13 explosive fights. Tickets range from R50 to R1280 through Computicket.