Simon James Pryce (born 7 March 1972) is an Australian children's entertainer, singer and actor. He is best known for his work as the Red Wiggle of

The Wiggles The Wiggles are an Australian children's music group formed in Sydney in 1991. As of 2022, the group members are Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce, Tsehay Hawkins, Evie Ferris, John Pearce (entertainer), John Pearce, Caterina Mete ...

since 2013, and also for the children's show '' The Kingdom of Paramithi''.

Early life and education

Pryce, whose grandparents were

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

singers, started performing at an early age. He studied drama at the

University of Western Sydney Western Sydney University, formerly the University of Western Sydney, is an Australian multi-campus public research university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university in its current form was founde ...

Career

Theatre

He has performed in several

musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

, including ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

'' as

Old Deuteronomy Old Deuteronomy is a character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' and its 1981 musical adaptation, ''Cats''. He is a wise and beloved elderly cat, further serving as the Jellicle patriarch in the musical. The role of O ...

, ''Masterpiece: The Music of

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...

'', '' Witches of Eastwick'', ''Villain of Flowers'', '' South Pacific'', ''

Fidelio ''Fidelio'' (; ), originally titled ' (''Leonore, or The Triumph of Marital Love''), Opus number, Op. 72, is the sole opera by German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The libretto was originally prepared by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of ...

'' with

Opera Australia Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, New South Wales, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra runs for approximately eight months of the year, with t ...

, and ''The Sunshine Club'' with the

Sydney Theatre Company Sydney Theatre Company (STC) is an Australian theatre company based in Sydney, New South Wales. The company performs in the Wharf Theatre at Dawes Point in The Rocks area of Sydney as well as the Roslyn Packer Theatre (formerly Sydney Theatre ...

. He also played the title role in a 2007-09 Australian production of '' Phantom of the Opera'' over 100 times.

Television

Pryce has appeared in numerous TV shows and films, including '' Water Rats'', '' All Saints'', ''

Home and Away ''Home and Away'' (''H&A'') is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a trip to Kangaroo Point, N ...

'' and '' Hunt Angels''. In July 2018, he appeared on Season 2 of Australian Ninja Warrior together with his personal trainer wife, Lauren Hannaford. In September 2020, Pryce was revealed to be the "Puppet" on '' The Masked Singer Australia'', placing fourth on the second season of the show.

The Wiggles

Pryce joined the Wiggles organization in 2002, beginning as "one of their main voice artists" on several of their CDs. He joined their regular tour in 2009-10, as Ringo the Ringmaster and understudying for founding member

Murray Cook Murray James Cook, AM (born 30 June 1960) is an Australian musician, actor, and DJ. Cook was one of the founding members of the children's band the Wiggles from 1991 to 2012. Cook provided guitar, vocals, and songwriting in the group, and rem ...

. He also starred as King John in the Wiggles' production '' The Kingdom of Paramithi''. In August 2012, Pryce was slated to replace Greg Page as the Yellow Wiggle. However, Page's departure was delayed until the end of that year, after Cook and Purple Wiggle Jeff Fatt decided to retire from the group then, asking Page to extend his stay until then so he would leave alongside them. Pryce ultimately replaced Cook in early 2013. In 2016, the Wiggles released ''The Carnival of the Animals'', its narration was written and performed by Pryce. The album, based on the piece by the French Romantic composer

Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (, , 9October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano ...

and performed by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, introduced children to classical music and instruments.

Personal life

Pryce has described himself as "always into fitness and health", but that the Wiggles' performance schedule demanded an even higher level. In early 2016, he described his workout routine and the group's competitive culture of fitness, especially among its male members, to ex-

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...

footballer Adam MacDougall. In late 2015, Pryce became engaged to ex-gymnast and fitness professional Lauren Hannaford who created online fitness program FHIT. They met four years earlier, when she toured with the Wiggles. Pryce and Hannaford were married in Sydney, in January 2017. The couple have a son, born in January 2021.

Discography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Pryce, Simon 1972 births Living people Australian children's musicians The Wiggles members Australian baritones Australian male actors