I love the venue where we saw them. It’s not a huge place to start with, and the stage came out to about the middle of the floor, so there really wasn’t a bad seat in the house.

Due to a wreck that caused a huge traffic jam, the show did start about 1/2 hour late. I thought it was very considerate of them to wait long enough to allow people time to get in, though I think those who arrived early may not have been so appreciative (yes, I mean you, crazy guy who tried to get your kids to start a prison riot-type chanting of “We want the Wiggles!”).

Of course, everyone was disappointed not to see Greg there. The official quote from Murray to the audience was:

• You probably already know that Greg is not with us, everyone. He’s sick, he’s still at home in Australia, recovering. He’s sorry he can’t be here. But we’ve got a great friend of ours helping out. He’s singing all the songs. This is Sam, everyone!

Though we were so sad to miss out on seeing Greg, Sam (longtime member of The Wiggles) did a fantastic job in his place. I think Greg would be proud of the awesome job they’re still doing in his absence. From Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the Dinosaur, Wags and Henry, to The Wiggly Dancers, to Jeff, Sam, Murray and Anthony, everyone gave a stellar performance. And it was especially fun to see Anthony start cracking up a few times, and to see Murray and the Captain making each other laugh. I get a kick out of seeing them having fun up there.

The kids had a ball. The 5 year old, who thought maybe she was starting to outgrow The Wiggles when we throw in a video at home, just beamed singing all the songs and remembering all the motions. The 3 year old didn’t really understand what was happening until The Wiggles actually showed up on the stage. He kept thinking that we were going to see a Wiggles movie. After the opening of the show, he just kept wanting to know where the big red car went. The 17-month old didn’t get to go, because we would have had to buy a ticket for him. (Am I the only one who thinks that’s crazy?)

The highlight of the night was my oldest getting her photo with Jeff! We ran down when he was collecting roses for Dorothy, and she gave him the get well card she made for Greg. I was bummed that her eyes were only half open, but you take what you can get in the 2 seconds with a Wiggle! It was a really great night, and I’m so thankful for the memories we have of seeing the joy and excitement in the eyes of the kids. I’m afraid that not too many kids see live performances of anything anymore, and don’t know the thrill and joy of having a part in the performances. Though it’s fun to get to take them to something as flashy as a Wiggles concert, it’s also fun to take the kids to local performances, plays and concerts. Videos are great for some circumstances, but I hope this next generation of kids also grows up with an appreciation of live performance art. There’s something special about seeing a unique performance.

So, thanks Wiggles, for sharing your gifts with the world. And to Greg, our prayers, thoughts, and hopes are with you.

Update: Greg Page Wiggle officially announced his retirement on November 30, 2006. More from Play Library in honor of unofficial Greg Page Wiggle Tribute Day.

Post from: Play Library