From the moment Erin Reedie grabbed her teddy bears and put on plays for classmates instead of doing maths in primary school, she knew it was something she wanted to do for a living.
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Now, instead of bears, she entertains people of all ages with her trusted miniature pony sidekicks Piccolo and Billy - who often wear horns and flowers as unicorns.
For the children's entertainer from Renwick, her get-up is a fairy dress, floral garland and wings, or cowgirl outfit, as she captivates audiences with her business Piccolo Ponies.
"I just think there's something magical about fairies and fairyland," she said, where she often built fairy gardens with her grandmother.
Erin's passion for making people smile grew from school, where she was chosen to take part in a workshop with the National Institute of Dramatic Art, and threw herself into school productions and community theatre at Chevalier College.
From there, she did not give up on her dreams and it took her three years to get accepted into one acting school, where she studied and graduated from Actors Centre of Australia (ACA).
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The 2020 lockdown meant that the entertainer had to study online in her first year, where she spoke to the ACA CEO about her future ambitions of working with children.
"He said to go buy a beautiful notebook that makes me happy and write down my ideas," she said.
As a longtime miniature pony owner, it was her mother's idea to bring the loves of animals and performing together.
"Mum, my niece and I had a ball making costumes, songs, and grandpa made the set," she said.
From those moments, the joys of performing have been a family affair.
Since then, Erin and particularly Piccolo, have been brightening the days of people at birthday parties for all ages, reading in the Bowral Library, and spreading joy at nursing and group homes.
"It's so great having this character because I've been living with Fairy Erin," she said.
The duo were also part of the Angels in Our Parade; an initiative that thanks first responders, took part in a 90-year-celebration of the ABC, and held the first Piccolo Ponies live show at the Mittagong RSL, in 2022.
Piccolo, who has also appeared in a short on ABC Me with Billy, Erin says, is the main star.
"I think the amazing thing about Piccolo is he is a very smart pony and I have to only show him things once," she said.
The pony responds to yes and no on cue, smiles on command and even paints a canvas for the birthday party host.
He however, does have a tendency to paint Erin's fairy dress on the first go when she asks him to be careful and not get it dirty.
Erin, Piccolo and Billy also create and star in the Piccolo Ponies YouTube channel, something the children's entertainer wants to continue now that she has graduated.
In the videos, the trio talk of "brain bullies" - negative thoughts about oneself, and the importance of positive thinking.
Briannah Devlin
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
I like to write about arts, entertainment, any local reality tv leads, and property for the Southern Highland News and Goulburn Post, but also report on everything in between. If you have any tips, please send them to Briannah.Devlin@austcommunitymedia.com.au, or call 0439142204.
