Shows have been a huge part of creating the theme park experience, and a musical revue is the most common form they take. A showcase of young, musical talent performing an array of music around common themes in sparkling costumes is generally a crowd pleaser.
	Six Flags was a pioneer in bringing "Broadway-style" musical revues to theme park audiences. With Six Flags' acquisition of Great Adventure, one of their focuses was bringing their signature style of shows to the park. The Bandstand on the Lake was home to several of these, with one of the most elaborate productions in 1979 named "Hey There Good Times!"
CLICK THE IMAGE ON THE RIGHT TO VIEW A C0MPLETE PRESENTATION OF THE SHOW AT SIX FLAGS GREAT ADVENTURE'S BANDSTAND ON THE LAKE IN THE SUMMER OF 1979.
	The show featured twelve talented performers in what was described as a Vaudeville Review (sic), with music, singing, dancing, magic, and variety acts. The show's premise was a traveling troupe performing a variety of songs and acts.  The entrance to the stage was through a wagon that featured a series of backdrops and signs which were rolled into place on the side of the wagon with the changes of scenes. A master of ceremonies led the troupe and introduced each section of the show with alliterative comic banter allowing time for costume changes. Between group numbers, an operatic soloist performed (or tried to) with comic results.  Another break in the singing and dancing brought on a magician who performed a series of tricks.
	The music selections chosen were up-tempo, with great orchestrations and harmonies in the backing track to which the live singers performed.  The scale and scope of this show was pretty amazing for such a small venue as the Bandstand on the Lake. Music selections for the show ranged from true vaudeville songs to modern (1970's) Broadway show tunes.
	The closing number, "It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish" was from the 1973 show Seesaw.  The title song "Hey There Good Times" (which was inexplicably about 2/3 into the show rather than opening or closing the show) was from the 1977 show I Love My Wife, which was a musical about wife swapping couples in suburban New Jersey. The song may have been familiar to many guests since it was featured in TV commercials for the Broadway show in the New York City TV market. -------------------------------- The entire Bandstand on the Lake show Hey There Good Times can be viewed by clicking the link above.  If you remember this Great Adventure presentation or were part of the cast, we would love to hear your memories of this 1979 stage show.
Below:  Hey There Good Times! page scanned from the 1979 Six Flags Great Adventure Employee Yearbook
Original Spotlight:  March 12, 2021, Updated:  March 22, 2021.  GAH Reference#:  PROD-1979-001