Taking up acting classes to help with public speaking skills is set to land Nicola Parkman on stage and in a bit of a sticky situation during the 2021 Fringe Festival.
The Training and Support Officer at Reynella’s Commercial Enterprises is part of the production and acting crew bringing the show Slime Dusters to the Parks Theatre in Angle Park on February 20.
“It’s about a group of kids that really love watching a TV show called Slime Man and the parents don’t like mess,” Nicola says.
“There’s a group of people called Slime Dusters that come around and try to clean up. It’s a great show for younger audience members, it’s just a lot of fun, lot of slapstick comedy.
“It goes for about 70 minutes and I’m still learning my lines which is crazy, and yesterday on my day off I was making props.”
The reason I wanted to go into acting in the first place was to help me with my public speaking, because I sometimes get quite anxious and I felt like I needed some tools to help me get over that.
Written by one of the cast members, Vicky Griffin, the production is being directed by well-known Adelaide magician Mickster the Trickster.
“We’re all part of a student group through TYPE Talent who run acting courses. You do a six or eight-week block of courses and at the end of the block is a production, either a short film or a stage show and because Fringe is on, there’s about five classes running and they are all doing different Fringe shows.”
With slime proving a hit with some of her supported employees at Reynella, Nicola says there’s plenty that goes on behind the scenes of the production.
“There’s in-class time but there is a lot of other stuff that goes on like learning lines, stage presence, prop making and costumes.
“The reason I wanted to go into acting in the first place was to help me with my public speaking, because I sometimes get quite anxious and I felt like I needed some tools to help me get over that.
“I also did a producing course through TYPE Talent which is a 12-month mentorship and part of that is producing a Fringe show so we look after all the finances, marketing, social media and keeping everyone on schedule.
“It’s a learning on the job type thing which is really cool.”
SA Group Enterprise's Nicola Parkman with Jessica, Rebecca and Jeshua.