MILDURA, get ready to wiggle.
For the first time in 12 years, children’s music sensations The Wiggles are coming to Sunraysia as part of a national regional tour to celebrate the return of yellow Wiggle Greg Page.
Blue Wiggle Anthony Field yesterday confirmed the foursome would host 70 shows while touring 15 cities in 10 weeks.
“Hopefully Jeff will stay awake for them all,” Anthony joked yesterday.
About 2000 tickets will be sold for each of the Mildura shows at The Nowingi Place on April 1.
“We’re hoping all the families of Mildura will come along,” Anthony said.
“We’ll be singing all your favourite wiggly songs like Fruit Salad, Toot Toot Chugga Chugga and Rock-A-Bye Your Bear.
“Captain Feathersword will be singing some of his favourites too, along with Dorothy The Dinosaur who has her own collection of rosy hits.”
Mildura Rural City Council mayor John Arnold and Cr Sharyon Peart yesterday encouraged people of all ages to attend.
“I think it will be really good for the people and the kids, they are very, very popular and I’m sure everybody will enjoy it,” Cr Arnold said.
“I have watched them on TV and I think it’s a great show that they put on for the kids, they are very talented.
“I would certainly encourage people to come so that they come back again.”
Six years after ill-health forced yellow Wiggle Greg Page to retire, he has returned to the role, replacing understudy Sam Moran, and is ready for action.
“I’m excited to be back with my friends and to be entertaining our incredible fans again,” Greg said.
The foursome have known each other for 20 years and Greg was one of founding members of the group.
“Greg is very excited to be back and can’t wait to get on stage and perform,” Anthony said.
“We are all busy rehearsing the show at the moment.”
The two Mildura shows will start at 11am and 4.30pm and each will run for 80-90 minutes.
Blue Wiggle Anthony said the group was “very excited about coming to Mildura”.
“We always try to get to regional cities and towns that we haven’t visited for a while, including Mildura, Morwell and Frankston on this tour,” Anthony said.
“The Wiggles – particularly Murray and Anthony – share a love of our regional and outback communities.
“Mildura epitomises our rich red continent.
“We are also hoping to visit the Murray-Darling if our schedule permits. This area is such an important part of Australia’s food bowl.”
Children, parents, grandparents and carers make up the audience at The Wiggles’ concerts, according to Anthony.
“It’s not like a normal concert,” he said.
“Children are the most discerning of critics and there is always lots of talking and moving around during our shows which is wonderful.
“There is also lots of dancing, singing and clapping … and that’s just the adults!
“Sometimes even teenagers come along because they grew up with our music.”
Cr Peart said she had fond memories of watching The Wiggles with her children.
“My boys grew up with The Wiggles and it was a great educational thing that was fun,” she said.
“They watched the movies and we went to see them when they were young and we had a great time.
“I think they do a great job of using fun to interact with children and to express themselves with music.”
Cr Peart said the concert was a coup for Mildura.
“I would encourage parents to take their children along and enjoy singing and watching their children have fun.
“It’s a great thing that they’re coming to our city, so go along mums and dads.”
Tickets cost $32.50 and will go on sale at www.ticketek.com.au from February 14. The Wiggles management said some tickets would also be sold at the soundshell on the day.
This article appeared in Thursday's Sunraysia Daily 2-2-2012.
Email a friend