The York Dispatch from York, Pennsylvania • 47

THE YORK DISPATCH THURSDAY MAY 7 1 998 E7 Yorkers ready for the stage Two young performers from York County will be part of the magic at musical shows this year Joe Abraham a sophomore at Penn State will join the cast at the Music Box Theatre while Meegan Korman a senior at Hanover High School will perform in at the Big Rig Grill Both were cast at their second audition for Hershey they said Abraham sang in a quartet during Hershey Candylane over the holidays and he was offered the job after a dancing and signing audition in February he said (performed) since 9th Abraham said He graduated from Red Lion Area Senior High School in 1996 and is majoring in musical theater he said He began taking voice lessons in high school and he started dancing after he went to college he said See SHOWS E8 Hersheypark entertainment new ride this year ride opens May 23 is the Great Bear a steel inverted roller coaster that swings the riders underneath the track The Great Bear roller coaster roars into Hersheypark Hersheypark has five musical shows planned for the season They are: Dance Dance on a revue of popular Broadway shows including songs from and At the Amphitheatre June 6-Labor Day featuring country dancing and such tunes as The Rest Is History" and At the Big Rig Grid May 30-Labor Day a remake of the hit music show from the including The Name of the Pack and These Boots Were Made for Walking At the Music Box Theater May 30-Labor Day Hersheypark Green Team showcasing physical comedy and juggling with an environmental theme At Midway America June 6-Labor Day Friends from the Sea a dolphin and sea lion presentation which is educational and entertaining At the Aquatheatre all season By GAYLE EUBANK IhsjmlrhSmiila'f Nett The Great Bear is coming down to earth and landed at Hersheypark Great Bear is newest roller coaster named after the constellation Ursa Major also known as the Big Dipper because the coaster also has seven major elements Hersheypark opens for the season Saturday and the Great Bear is scheduled to have its grand opening on May 23 The roller coaster is the first steel inverted roller coaster in the state according to Hersheypark and it whizzes along at speeds up to 58 mph Riders sit in chairs hanging down from the track with their legs dangling as the coaster first lifts them 90 feet into the air then drops 120 feet into Comet Hollow The ride then rolls into a loop then an degree flat roll and Hershey thinks it has a winner are so excited about Great Bear because it will bring the latest in new ride technology to Hersheypark and provide unsurpassed thrills to our said Franklin Shearer vice president and general manager of Hersheypark The newest coaster winds in and out with the superdooper-looper and the Coal Cracker in Minetown The ride lasts 175 seconds with two trains taking up to 1300 passengers per hour through the attraction It cost $13 million to build the most Hershey has ever spent on a single attraction Shearer said Of course Hersheypark is much more than its six roller See HERSHEYfS i 4 pm wnen pan closes at 3 yen park doses at 5 Getting there: From York take Interstate 83 north to Route 322 Take Route 322 north to Hersheypark Boulevard get off and go right For more information call (800) HERSHEY or check www800hersheycom then goes into a 360 degree roll resulting in the weightless feeling of zero force Add in turns and 360 At a glance About Hersheypark: Hours: 10 am-10 pm Saturdays through June 27 May 24 Fridays June 5-26 and July 1 0-24 daily June 12-July 2 weekdays June 15-July 30 Monday through Thursday July 27-Aug 20 Aug 28-30 Sept 5 6 12 and 19 10 am-8 Sunday May 15 17 22 25 29 31 June 7-1 1 Aug 24-27 Aug 31 -Sept 4 Sept 7 1 3 20 10 am-6 pm May 14 20-21 26-28 and June 1-4 10 am-ll pm Saturdays and Sundays July 4-Aug 23 July 3 Fridays July 31 -Aug 21 melman which is a stunt acrobatic pilots perform where the riders will roll out of an inverted position Then coaster.