Annie returns to Brisbane this December off the back of successful seasons in Sydney and Melbourne. The Scoop sat down with Greg Page, the original Yellow Wiggle, who is making his theatre debut playing Franklin D. Roosevelt. Greg talks all things Annie, including what he’s learned about working in musical theatre and the power of human connection. Read the full interview below.
What were your first memories of, or associations with, Annie before stepping into this production?
I remember seeing it promoted on TV in 1978 when the musical first came to Australia, with Hayes Gordon, Kevin Johnson and Jill Perryman. And Nancye Hayes was in it too. So I remember seeing it back then when I was seven years old.
But also, my grandparents used to buy the newspaper, and the Little Orphan Annie cartoons were in there. So that’s how far back my association goes. And, of course, the movie version in the early ’80s.
When I was asked last year, I thought, Oh my gosh. What an honour to be in such a highly regarded musical that so many people love, but to be alongside somebody like Anthony Warlow, let alone the other cast members. Anthony is so unique. I don’t even think he knows how unique he is as a talent.
What was it that made you ultimately say yes in the end?
A number of things. I’d always wanted to be in a musical, and for years, I toyed with the idea of doing one of the local ones, but I never had the confidence. Because even at a local level, they are such great talents. To be asked to be in a musical of this stature and this scale. I couldn’t turn it down.
It’s a dream come true. I discussed it with the family before signing on, and Vanessa said, Look, you’ve always wanted to do it, so now’s the time if you’re going to give it a go. It’s a golden opportunity. And thankfully, everybody has been so supportive and welcoming.
So many of the younger cast grew up watching The Wiggles, so you can tell there’s a kind of respect there. Not that they’re starstruck, because they’re so down to earth. But they’re not treating me as somebody who shouldn’t be in the musical.
I don’t want to be that person who’s just in the show because I used to be in The Wiggles. I want to make sure that I add value, not just to the rest of the cast and the production, but for the audience.
You’re deep into the Melbourne season now, and there was the Sydney season before that. What have been some of the best things about working in musical theatre so far?
Oh, so many good things. I think on a performance level, one of the great things for me is adapting to a different style of performance. To be able to bounce things off Anthony Warlow and get his thoughts and feedback is just astounding, given that I’ve never done this before.
And when you talk to somebody like Anthony, you really understand that there’s a lot to it. I’m having to learn what this art and this craft are. So much of it is about being able to do the same thing, day in, day out, same show, same lines, no deviations.
In The Wiggles, we could play around and have fun with the lines, but in this, you can’t. It’s about creating the same magic every time for the audience. Because you might get some people who come along and see it twice or three times, but generally it’s their first time, and it’s got to be a great experience for them.
So how do you create that magic every time on stage? I love that challenge as much as I loved the challenge of being in The Wiggles and having the freedom and flexibility. And for that audience, the whole auditorium was the show. Once we stepped on stage with The Wiggles, there was no fourth wall. In Annie, the stage is the show, and we’ve got to contain it all there and make sure that magic happens on stage and that it emanates out from there.
Has there been anything that has surprised you, or just anything that you didn’t expect?
Yeah, lots of things I’ve learned, lots of revelations. When you go along to see a musical, there’s so much you take for granted. You sit in the audience and this magic happens, and you go home and think, Wow, I had a great time. And you don’t realise how much work and effort went into it. Whereas when you’re backstage…I mean, I don’t know how many cast and crew we have. But we’ve got the orchestra, the cast, the crew, the creatives; there’s got to be about 60 people involved. And audiences go away spellbound and loving it and wanting more.
Can you tell me how your role fits into the story, for those who have never seen it?
I play the President of the United States. He’s not a fictitious character. He was a real president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He wasn’t wheelchair bound, but he had polio, so he couldn’t get around very easily. And he actually didn’t like to be seen in a wheelchair. But in this show, I’m in a wheelchair all the time.
But what I love is that the show is set in the Great Depression, and the President and his cabinet are trying to work out how they can save the country. And this little 11-year-old girl comes into the White House, and literally out of the mouths of babes, she says the sun will come out tomorrow.
That’s the crux of the whole musical. Tomorrow is a brand new day. Tomorrow can be whatever you want to make it. Some people say that Annie’s full of pluck or courage. But she’s full of hope about what tomorrow might bring.
Annie is looking for her parents. And every day brings that opportunity that she may find them. So when she comes into the White House, she helps the President realise that he might be able to turn the country around and deliver what they call a new deal. And that was a real thing, a new deal for the country. I love that I get to be a part of that beautiful scene. I hope people find it funny but also inspiring.
I don’t want to spoil the ending, but how do the themes of family resonate with you as a father? What do you think the musical is saying about family, and all the shapes and forms it can take? Do you think this is why the musical has endured over the decades?
Yeah, I do. There’s so much in this show that resonates with people. One of the great themes in this show is that family is not necessarily about blood. It’s about connection. Family can look like anything, as we know; as society has developed and its broken norms.
In this musical, we have this multi-billionaire who is prepared to take in an orphan for the Christmas holidays, but then ultimately, things grow from that. And I think that speaks volumes for the human race. The fact that we have that in us as humans to look beyond our own bloodlines.
It’s funny, because I don’t think about this often, but I actually have three stepchildren. And I don’t think of them as stepchildren, I just think of them as my kids. Because I don’t see the bloodlines. I just see family.
And I think that’s such an important message. We can see anybody as family, and we don’t have to have them living in our home to see them as somebody that we can show care for.
It’s sad that we have so many homeless people in Australia. But I think one of the most powerful things I heard somebody talk about is that when you see somebody who’s homeless, you don’t have to give them money. You just have to give them time. Just say hello and make a connection with them.
Human connection is something that I think we have lost in today’s age of social media, and I think for these people, they just need a connection. They need to feel like they belong somewhere. Just taking a few minutes to say g’day to somebody and ask them how they’re doing, big things can grow from that.
That’s so beautiful. I love that answer. The last two questions we ask everyone we chat to at The Scoop. Now that you’ve had a taste of the musical theatre life, are there any shows or roles you might be interested in for the future? Do you have a bucket list of sorts?
Well, it’s funny because Anthony Field, who’s one of the original Wiggles, I texted him the other day. I said, I see that the Neil Diamond Musical is coming to Australia. He’s a big Neil Diamond fan. He saw the musical in New York four times. I’m a Diamond fan as well. I love his songs and I’d love to see it when it comes to Australia.
But then Anthony texted me this morning, and he said, You know, Greg, you should audition for the role of Older Neil. And Lachy Wiggle – he’s a Purple Wiggle at the moment – should audition for Young Neil. We had this back and forth. And I said, There’s no way.
I would love to do it, but I don’t have the chops. There are so many great performers in musical theatre in Australia, such talent and stars. But Anthony did kind of convince me that I could play a smaller role. Apparently, there’s a cafe owner in the show; it’s a bit of a comedy role. And I thought I could probably do that. So if anybody out there is listening, Paul Dainty, I would love to be considered for a role in that.
I’d love to keep doing roles, but they have to be something that, again, I feel I’m actually adding value to, not just there as a token performer. Because this is such a beautiful art. There really is a lot that goes into it behind the scenes, and we have to respect that.
So many people work hard to make a living out of this and put on something quality for people to come and see. So I’m going to keep honing my skills, and maybe one day something will come along.
You’ve had a remarkable career. What advice would you give any young person who wants to get into the entertainment industry?
I think if it’s your dream and your passion, you should follow it. It may not be a full-time thing, but you never know where it’s going to end up. I follow people on TikTok, and they’re independent musicians. They’ve got 9 to 5 jobs, and they play gigs on weekends. And they don’t begrudge that, but they’re thinking, I wish I was doing it full-time.
My message would be, stick with it. Something could happen, and it could just be around the corner. You never know what’s waiting for you. I never thought I’d be doing a musical. I never thought the call was going to come, but it did. You never know when your door is going to open.
And doors don’t always open wide. Sometimes they just open a crack, and you’ve got to notice it. And when you decide to push on it a bit and see what’s in there, have a look. If it looks inviting, then step on in and explore it. But don’t walk past it. Don’t pass up on opportunities.
Believe in yourself. There are so many gifted and talented people out there, but not everybody looks for that open door. So be the one to explore the open door, and you might just go somewhere.
Annie runs from 27 December 2025 at the Lyric Theatre QPAC for a strictly limited season.
Tickets: https://anniemusical.com.au/tickets/brisbane/
Website: https://anniemusical.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/anniemusicalau/
Hero image: Greg Page with Stephanie McNamara in Annie Sydney. Photo by Daniel Boud
