Former Wiggle takes on surprise political gig
Former Wiggle Greg Page has taken a surprise new career direction. He is set to appear on stage in a very different way. Here is what he’s up to.
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Greg Page is taking on politics.
The former Yellow Wiggle has landed his first stage musical gig since high school and is set to play the late US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in Annie.
“In the theatrical and fictional world only, that is probably the only way I would be prepared to take it (politics) on I think,” Page told Confidential.
“I am really excited about it. To be honest it is something I had thought about doing post Wiggles life but never really knew how to get into it. Because I’ve never done it before too, there was always that apprehension of, ‘am I going to be able to do it?’.”
Page, 53, will join veteran stage performer Anthony Warlow as Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks in the production at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from March 25 before it travels to Melbourne.
Four young performers will share the titular role of Annie, being Beatrix Alder, Matilda Casey, Dakota Chanel and Stephanie McNamara.
Debora Krizak is Miss Hannigan, Mackenzie Dunn will play Lily St. Regis and Keanu Gonzalez will be seen as Rooster Hannigan.
Broadway actor Amanda Lea LaVergne will play the role of Grace Farrell.
Annie is based on popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, which debuted in 1924. The stage production launched in 1977 and the Hollywood film was released in 1982.
“There is a bit of nervousness about it but I am excited,” Page said ahead of his eight shows a week in Annie.
“It is a classic musical. I am really excited to be a part of the rich history of Annie the musical. It is a great inspirational musical where people will warm to the story of Annie and the fact that I get to play the US President, whose perspective on the country and the future of the country is changed by this little girl who comes in talking about tomorrow being a new day and the sun coming out tomorrow, that whole message of optimism and inspiration is just fantastic.”
Page of course is well versed as a stage performer.
He was a member of The Wiggles from 1996 until 2006 and again in 2012.
Stage musicals though are another thing – his last being in 1987 playing Johnny Casino in Grease.
“I have done it once. It has been a while,” he said.
“With the Wiggles, we’ve done that many shows over the years that we’ve seen just about everything happen on a stage and things go wrong so I am well prepared for that.
“The thing I am not prepared for … there is a script for this and you don’t deviate from the script, whereas with The Wiggles we were able to improv and have a lot of fun on stage.
“I think for me then there is a safety in knowing that every line has to be the same and you don’t have to think on the spot as to how you are going to respond if somebody changes the whole thing up without you knowing.”
Originally published as Former Wiggle takes on surprise political gig
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