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Filmmaker Jacob Welsko and his production crew pose at Railroad Records in Bethlehem during the filming of his television pilot \u201cDa Capo\u201d in early 2026. (Credit: Mahx Baptiste)<\/p>\nBETHLEHEM, Pa. \u2014 A television pilot filmed at Railroad Records, DeSales University and other Lehigh Valley locations is slated for a 2027 release, and its 23-year-old writer and director hopes it will change how audiences see his generation.<\/p>\n
\u201cDa Capo,\u201d created by Lehigh Valley filmmaker Jacob Welsko, follows a young indie rock band scrambling to find a replacement member days before a gig. A teaser is available now, and Welsko said an official trailer will be released in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
The title comes from the Italian musical term meaning \u201cfrom the beginning\u201d \u2014 fitting for a series about young artists starting out, made by a crew of them.<\/p>\n
Filmmaker Jacob Welsko and his production crew pose at Railroad Records in Bethlehem during the filming of his television pilot \u201cDa Capo\u201d in early 2026. (Credit: Mahx Baptiste)<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like a lot of shows nowadays paint people in my generation as lazy or rude,\u201d Welsko said. \u201cI\u2019m trying to show that we\u2019re hardworking and that we have our own stories to tell and that we\u2019re good people as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Welsko, who was born at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, studied at Northampton Community College before earning a film degree from Kutztown University in 2025. The pilot is his largest project to date.<\/p>\n
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By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy<\/a> and consent to receive updates.<\/p>\n According to press materials, the pilot was shot over seven days in early 2026 on a $2,000 budget, with more than 50 Pennsylvania-based cast and crew members, drawn from a casting call that received more than 40 auditions.<\/p>\n Filming locations included Railroad Records<\/a>, the South Side Bethlehem vinyl shop that opened last summer, along with the Bethlehem Public Library, the Bethlehem Greenway, DeSales University and other spots around the city\u2019s South Side.<\/p>\n Welsko said shooting locally was a deliberate choice.<\/p>\n \u201cAll these shows about young people always take place in New York or LA, and I want to show that opportunity can happen anywhere,\u201d he said. \u201cThings can happen wherever you are as long as you\u2019ve got a great team of people and the drive to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n Welsko describes the series as a drama with comedy in the background, citing influences including \u201cThe Bear,\u201d \u201cAtlanta,\u201d \u201cHigh Fidelity,\u201d \u201cInsecure\u201d and the 1992 film \u201cSingles.\u201d<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley community<\/p>\n Get the latest community news and updates from across the Valley.<\/p>\n By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy<\/a> and consent to receive updates.<\/p>\n The cast includes Tyler West, Rai Rex, Josh Huyssen, Victor Forman, Alonzo Allison, Destinee Gilbert, Dylan Miller, and Jaedan Reppert. Welsko credited assistant director and producer Liam Gorecki, executive producer Gabe Howard, and director of photography and producer Lucas Garcia, calling the team essential to the project.<\/p>\n \u201cI can never give them enough gratitude for the work that they put in to make this project come to life,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The pilot, a production of JACOBWHENEVER Productions and Hard2KillProductionz, is in editing. Welsko said he plans to release it in segments on YouTube and social media while pitching the series to studios, with hopes of one day landing on a major streaming service.<\/p>\n A trailer for the pilot will screen July 25 at the Gap Theatre in Wind Gap ahead of a feature film premiere, according to press materials.<\/p>\n Updates are posted on the show\u2019s Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Stay informed on Lehigh Valley community<\/p>\n Get the latest community news and updates from across the Valley.<\/p>\n By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy<\/a> and consent to receive updates.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/welsko-e1784418962633.jpeg\")
Filmmaker Jacob Welsko, left, directs on set during the production of his television pilot \u201cDa Capo\u201d in Bethlehem in early 2026. (Credit: Jacob Welsko )<\/p>\n