Mandy Nolan Explained

Birth Date:18 January 1967
Occupation:Performer, comedian, MC, writer, author, artist, teacher, ambassador, activist
Birth Place:Wondai, Queensland, Australia
Party:Greens

Amanda Nolan (born 18 January 1967) is an Australian comedian and writer. She was the Greens candidate for the federal division of Richmond at the 2022 Australian federal election.

Nolan was announced as the Greens candidate for the federal division of Richmond again in May 2023.[1] [2]

Early life

Nolan was born on 18 January 1967 in Wondai, Queensland.[3] Nolan attended Kingaroy State High School, graduating in 1984. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Queensland, majoring in drama, literature and journalism,[4] and trained as a vocational teacher of adults with learning disabilities.[5]

During university, Nolan also gained experience part-time in the modelling industry.[6]

Since graduating, Nolan has been a comedian, writer, content producer, facilitator, MC, instructor, organiser, promoter and performance coach.

Career

Writer

Nolan has been the entertainment editor of the Byron Shire Echo since 2002, where she authors a column titled "Mandy Nolan's Soapbox",[7] has been a contributor to the online publications Mamamia,[8] The Hoopla, Lunchlady and ABC.[9]

Nolan has published several books including The Full Mandy (2020),[10] Boyfriends We've All Had (and Shouldn’t Have) (2014),[11] Home Truths (2015)[12] and What I Would Do If I Were You: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Family Life (2011),[13] and also collaborated with Ellen Briggs to publish Women Like Us: Feeling Overwhelmed, Overworked, Overweight And Over It? (2018).[14]

Comedian

Nolan's first comedy show was in 1985 at Queensland University, where they were involved in a university show. Nolan has also collaborated to create and tour shows with fellow comedians Ellen Briggs, Women Like Us,[15] Akmal[16] and Austen Tayshus, 2020 Vision,[17] and with musician Áine Tyrrell, Country Witches Association.[18] [19] After the 2022 election, Nolan also created and performed the stand-up comedy show 'The Candidate'.[20]

Dementia Comedy Program

In 2007, Nolan was hired to work with careers of dementia patients, but ended up developing a program of improvised performance, role playing and theatre sports for people with dementia called Stand Up for Dementia.[21]

Nolan facilitated the Stand Up for Dementia program across Australia and taught 20 new facilitators how to work with those with dementia, with the support of a federal government grant.[22] The program resulted in an academic article, created by John Stevens, and international conference presentations on the results.[23] [24] The program was unable to continue without further government funding being provided.[25]

Nolan advocated for humour therapy for people with dementia on TEDxByronBay with Stand up for Dementia[26] in 2010 and SBS's Insight on the Dancing Dementia Episode[27] in 2015. Nolan is also a supporter of the Dementia Inclusive Ballina, being the MC for the 2022 Dementia Update Luncheon[28] and 2023 Symposium.

Teacher

Since 1997, Nolan has taught a stand-up comedy class at Byron Community College, having more than 1,500 graduating students, including Hannah Gadsby.[29] [30] Nolan has also facilitated stand-up comedy workshops such as Laugh Lines with Mandy Nolan[31] at Byron Writers Festival and What if Jesus was married with Akmal Saleh.[32] Nolan also coaches individuals in opinion writing workshops through their Write to the bone workshops[33] and their Authentic You Masterclasses with George Catsi.[34]

Podcaster

Nolan has been the host of various podcasts including Women Like Us - Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs,[35] Authentic You's The Daily Dose[36] Mamamia's The Split,[37] and a guest on many more.[38]

Artist

Nolan also paints, and in their 20's and 30's they exhibited regularly to sold-out shows in Sydney and Byron Bay.[39] In 2023, Nolan had a 'Made You Look, Made You Stare’ exhibition at Julian Edwards Fine Art Gallery.

Nolan started The Byron Bay Comedy Festival in collaboration with Ellen Briggs and Glenn Wright,[40] and was the Festival Director for The Big Joke comedy festival in Bangalow, NSW and a publicist for the Mullumbimby Music Festival.[41]

Community and charity work

Environment

Nolan has been an ambassador and advocate of the following charities and causes:

Health

The North Coast region has some of the highest rates of Hepatitis C, a blood borne virus (BBV) primarily transmitted via the sharing of injecting equipment.[46] Since 2021, Nolan has worked with Dr George Catsi, in collaboration with Northern NSW Local Health District, to create a podcast series that strived to reduce stigma in health care settings towards people who inject drugs (PWID), as a way of improving their wellbeing and treatment outcomes

Nolan is also an ambassador for Adolescent Mental Health Service, Human Nature.[47] [48]

Older People

In 2008, Nolan started running Shoot it From the Hip Replacement workshops[49] for seniors week. This workshop combined stand-up comedy and empowering older people to share their stories.

Political career

Nolan attended university during a very politicised time in Queensland, and would regularly attend anti-Joe Bjelke-Peterson rallies.

Nolan was first preselected to stand as the Greens candidate for the federal division of Richmond at the 2022 election against the Labor Party incumbent Justine Elliot. Nolan finished with 25.27 percent of the primary vote, a swing of 4.95 percent.

Personal life

Nolan currently lives in Mullumbimby, in the Northern Rivers, with their husband John Stevens, who is an academic.[50]

Nolan has five kids with three different dads, two of whom she had married and one of whom was her de facto partner.[51] Nolan's eldest two daughters by her first marriage to Rhett Hutchence (brother of Michael Hutchence from Australian rock band INXS), her son Charlie, by her second marriage, John's daughter, and their daughter, five-year-old Ivy.[52]

Nolan grew up in alcohol-fuelled domestic violence until their father died in a car accident when they were six.[53]

Books

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Echo . The Echo . 2022-05-22 . She's back! Nolan to run for Richmond in 2025. . 2023-10-21 . Echo Online.
  2. Web site: Greens . Australian . 2023-05-22 . Mandy Nolan Announces Run as Greens Candidate for Richmond. Joins National Housing Ground Campaign. . 2023-10-21 . Australian Greens.
  3. Web site: Kanowski . Sarah . 2023-06-01 . Mandy Nolan: embracing the 'weird freaky girl' . 2023-10-21 . ABC Conversations.
  4. Web site: Nolan . Mandy . 2023-10-21 . Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-21 . LinkedIn.
  5. Web site: Moltzer . Marijn . 2023-10-21 . Stand up and Laugh . 2023-10-21 . Imagine5.
  6. Web site: Helisma . Geoff . 2021-11-18 . Local Identities: Mandy, Provactiative, amusing, informative and feminist . 2023-10-26 . Clarence Valley News.
  7. Web site: Nolan . Mandy . 2023-10-21 . Mandy Nolan's Soapbox . 2023-10-21 . Echo Online.
  8. Web site: 2023-10-25 . Contributor Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-25 . Mamamia.
  9. Web site: 2023-10-25 . Contributor Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-25 . ABC.
  10. Web site: Nolan . Mandy . 2020-12-08 . How to get The Full Mandy . 2023-10-21 . The Echo.
  11. Web site: Australian Independent Publisher . Bad Apple Press . 2023-10-21 . Boyfriends We've all had by Mandy Nolan . Bad Apple Press Australian Independent Publisher.
  12. Web site: Australian Independent Publisher . Bad Apple Press . 2023-10-21 . Home Truths by Mandy Nolan . Bad Apple Press Australian Independent Publisher.
  13. Web site: Independent Publishers Group . Fitches Publishing House . 2023-10-21 . What I Would Do if I Were You: Dispatches From the Frontlines of Family Life . 2023-10-21 . Independent Publishers Group.
  14. Web site: Australian Independent Publisher . Bad Apple Press . 2023-10-21 . Women Like Us by Ellen Briggs and Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-21 . Bad Apple Press Australian Independent Publisher.
  15. Web site: 2015-06-12 . Women Like Us . 2023-10-21 . The Echo.
  16. Web site: 2022-07-01 . Punch Up Comedy at the Bangalow Bowlo with Akmal & Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-21 . Byron Bay Blod.
  17. Web site: O'Driscoll . Natalie . 2019-12-13 . Austen Tayshus and Mandy Nolan: 2020 Vision . 2023-10-12 . Blank Street Press.
  18. Web site: Browning . Ziggi . 2020-12-01 . Entertainment in the Byron Shrie for week beginning 2 December . 2023-10-21 . The Echo.
  19. Web site: 2020-01-06 . Bruns Boobs N Bubbles for a good cause . 2023-10-21 . The Echo.
  20. Web site: 2023-03-27 . Mandy Nolan: The Candidate . 2023-10-21 . Australian Arts Review.
  21. Web site: Meir . Matt . 2011-12-22 . Dementia 'a laughing matter' . 2023-10-21 . The Daily Telegraph.
  22. Web site: Savage . Desiree . 2017-09-15 . Comedian Mandy Nolan taught dementia sufferers how to laugh again . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170915111420/https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4926663/funny-lady-teaches-dementia-sufferers-how-to-laugh-again/ . 2017-09-15 . 2023-10-21 . Illawarra Mercury.
  23. Stevens . John . 2011-09-22 . Stand up for dementia: Performance, improvisation and stand up comedy as therapy for people with dementia; a qualitative study . Dementia . 11 . 1 . 61–73 . 10.1177/1471301211418160 . 144858421 . Sage Journals.
  24. Web site: 2012 . Stand up for dementia: performance improvisaton and stand up comedy for people with dementia . 2023-10-21 . Southern Cross University.
  25. Web site: Encalada . Javier . 2015-04-28 . Comedian works towards dementia-friendly communities . 2023-10-21 . The Daily Telegraph.
  26. Web site: 2010-08-11 . Stand Up For Dementia . 2023-10-21 . TEDx Talks.
  27. Web site: 2015-04-27 . Dancing with Dementia . 2023-10-21 . SBS Insight.
  28. News: 2022-09-07 . What's on? Community Events . 32 . Ballina Shire Council Community Connect . 2023-10-21.
  29. Web site: Encalada . Javier . 2015-08-28 . Mandy Nolan, high priestess of laughter . 2023-10-21 . The Daily Telegraph.
  30. Web site: 2019-07-18 . Culture in the Byron Shire for the week beginning 18 July, 2019 . 2023-10-21 . The Echo.
  31. Web site: 2023-10-21 . Laugh Lines with Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-21 . Byron Writers Festival.
  32. Web site: 2023-10-21 . What if Jesus Was Married - Stand up Masterclass with Akmal . 2023-10-21 . TryBooking.
  33. Web site: Try Booking . 2023-10-21 . Try Booking.
  34. Web site: 2023-10-21 . Authentic You Masterclasses . 2023-10-21 . Authentic You Masterclasses.
  35. Web site: 2020-09-30 . Women Like Us - Mandy Nolan and Ellen Briggs . Apple Podcasts.
  36. Web site: 2022-03-04 . Authentic You Media . 2023-10-21 . Podbean.
  37. Web site: 2018-04-02 . Mamamia Podcasts - The Split: Surviving Separation . 2023-10-21 . Mamamia.
  38. Web site: 2023-10-21 . Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-21 . Owl Tail.
  39. Web site: Edwards . Julian . 2023-02-01 . Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-26 . Julian Edwards Fine Art Gallery.
  40. Web site: Bible . Georgina . 2010-09-17 . Mandy Nolan's new comedy venture . 2023-10-26 . The Daily Telegraph.
  41. Web site: Elley and Simmonds . Samantha and Claire . 2011-09-27 . Mandy loves monkey business . 2023-10-26 . Northern Star.
  42. Web site: 2023-07-21 . Koala Roast: Jimeoin, Blake Pavey and Mandy Nolan Headline Show To Raise Money for Koala Homes . 2023-10-26 . Byron Bay Blog.
  43. Web site: Liam. Jennings . 2023-07-26 . Jimeoin, Blake Pavey and Mandy Nolan Headline Show to Raise Money for Koala Homes . 2023-10-26 . The Northern Rivers Times.
  44. Web site: 2023-06-14 . Wild Trivia Fundraiser Event . 2023-10-26 . Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital.
  45. Web site: Mandy Nolan . 2024-05-06 . Human Nature.
  46. Web site: 2021-07-01 . It's what I do, not who I am: Podcast series to reduce stigma against injecting drug users . 2023-10-21 . Northern NSW Local Health District: Northern Exposure.
  47. Web site: 2023-03-28 . On the Couch with Mandy Nolan . 2023-10-26 . Australian Arts Review.
  48. Web site: 2023-10-26 . Human Nature: Our People . 2023-10-26 . Human Nature.
  49. News: Atkins . Jonathan . 2008-01-31 . Oldie but a goodie . ABC Local . 2023-10-21.
  50. News: Chryssides . Helen . 2014-12-10 . "Two of us: John Stevens and Mandy Nolan" . The Sydney Morning Herald . 2023-10-21.
  51. Web site: Freedman . Mia . 2019-03-25 . Five Kids, Three Dads: How Mandy Nolan Blended Her Family . 2023-10-21 . MamaMia.
  52. Web site: Baker . Candida . 2014-04-27 . Twenty Mr Men, all Mr Wrong: A field guide to male flaws describes a range of types a girl wouldn't want to score with. . 2023-10-25 . Sydney Morning Herald.
  53. Web site: Nolan . Mandy . 2020-02-12 . Why are my kids so worried? . 2023-10-26 . Lunchlady.

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