It was a homecoming for the cast and crew of \u201cThe Hail Mary\u201d movie, who reunited Jan. 9 at a press conference in the Bethlehem Catholic High School auditorium.<\/p>\n
Approximately 200 were greeted by the sounds of the Bethlehem Catholic Marching Band and cheers of the Varsity cheerleaders.<\/p>\n
WAEB-790\u2019s Bobby Gunther Walsh kicked off the press conference, welcoming supporters, cast and crew of \u201cThe Hail Mary,\u201d and introducing Daniel Roebuck as the man \u201cwho stars in movies and directs movies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roebuck announced that \u201cThe Hail Mary\u201d red-carpet premiere will take place Feb. 21 at 11 a.m., Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas; 3 p.m., Bethlehem Catholic High School auditorium, and 7 p.m., Roxy Theatre, Northampton.<\/p>\n
Sponsor Trans-Bridge Lines will transport the cast to the venues. Yocco\u2019s Hot Dogs and Markee Wealth Management are also sponsors for the premiere. A commemorative program, similar to high school football programs, will be available.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Hail Mary\u201d begins its theatrical motion picture run Feb. 27 at the Boyertown State Theatre, Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, and the Roxy Theatre.<\/p>\n
Roebuck hinted about a future announcement that the movie \u201cwill be going somewhere else that brings me joy.\u201d An audience member inquired if showings would be held at Shankweiler\u2019s Drive-In. While Roebuck appeared hopeful, it is not definitive at this time.<\/p>\n
Roebuck unveiled the movie poster that depicts him, Sister Kathy, football players and the stadium crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Hail Mary\u201d is written and produced by Roebuck, a Bethlehem native and Bethlehem Catholic High School graduate, Class of 1982.<\/p>\n
Roebuck has 292 actor credits on Internet Movie Database, including for the theatrical movies, \u201cRiver\u2019s Edge\u201d (1986), \u201cThe Fugitive\u201d (1993), \u201cFinal Destination\u201d (2000) and \u201cThe Munsters\u201d (2022) and television\u2019s \u201cMatlock\u201d (1987-1995), \u201cThe Late Shift\u201d (1995), \u201cLost\u201d (2005-2010), \u201cGlee\u201d (2010-2012) and \u201cThe Man in the High Castle\u201d (2015-2016).<\/p>\n
More recently, Roebuck has devoted his time to acting and directing faith-based films through A Channel of Peace productions, including \u201cSaint Nick of Bethlehem\u201d (2024), \u201cLucky Louie\u201d (2023) and \u201cGetting Grace\u201d (2017).<\/p>\n
When he took to the podium at the press conference, Roebuck was emotional as he acknowledged the cast, crew and production staff of \u201cThe Hail Mary,\u201d which began filming in summer 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like we\u2019ve come back from war. They [the school boys] all grew up,\u201d Roebuck said, recalling each of the film\u2019s student actors by name.<\/p>\n
Roebuck said that cast member Alice Freeh of Center Valley died Nov, 27, 2021, prior to the movie\u2019s completion. Freeh was Bethlehem Catholic theater director for many years. Roebuck said that Freeh \u201cdid so much here at Beca.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hawk Hill Pictures, a Pittsburgh-based independent film distributor, partnered with A Channel of Peace for \u201cThe Hail Mary.\u201d Roebuck noted that \u201cwe don\u2019t just make movies. We teach people how to make movies.\u201d<\/p>\n
A \u201cHail Mary\u201d in football involves a long, desperate forward pass thrown at the end of the game or the first-half when little hope exists for success. In 1975, Dallas Cowboys\u2019 Roger Staubach threw a 50-yard pass with a prayer and Drew Pearson caught the game-winning touchdown during the NFC Playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings. Staubach referred to his \u201cHail Mary\u201d prayer in a post-game interview.<\/p>\n
The long odds for a miracle are evident on a variety of levels for \u201cThe Hail Mary\u201d movie, which explains why Roebuck chose the title.<\/p>\n
In the movie, Jake (Daniel Roebuck) is persuaded by Sister Kathy (Marsha Dietlein) to help organize troublesome school boys into a football team, which in itself could be considered a miracle. More importantly, Sister Kathy sees Jake as a \u201clost soul who needs redemption and atonement.\u201d If she can help save Jake, that could be considered a \u201cHail Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n
The long stretch of time, energy and effort by the team involved with making the movie could also be evidence of a \u201cHail Mary.\u201d It took five years after filming was completed to bring the movie to its premiere on the big screen.<\/p>\n
At the press conference, the audience was excited to see the movie\u2019s trailer, which depicts the Liberty High School Grenadier and Freedom High School Patriot bands, Bethlehem Catholic football team and cheerleaders and the Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.<\/p>\n
The comedic film utilizes Sister Kathy\u2019s sense of humor and purpose to engage Jake, an angry loner, and help him find redemption by coaching a football team at the all-boys Catholic school.<\/p>\n
In the trailer for the movie, Sister Kathy\u2019s humorous side is evident when she is caught drinking wine and says, \u201cIt\u2019s 4 o\u2019clock. It\u2019s Communion somewhere.\u201d Her more serious side is revealed when she explains that she wanted the football team formed \u201cnot to win games.\u201d She tells Jake, \u201cI wanted to win a soul.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the press conference, the cast and crew discussed the challenges of making the movie. Roebuck felt that doing football plays at 4 a.m. was difficult: \u201cThe Liberty High School football team would leave the field about 9 p.m. and then we\u2019d move on and play throughout the night into the early morning until the sun came out.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of the school boys, Joey Draper of Lower Macungie Township said it was a challenge \u201cto have to stop everything [filming] because the trains could be heard at 3 a.m.\u201d Draper, 22, a son of Lisa and Drew Draper, is a senior at The Pennsylvania State University. He was an Emmaus High School senior when he was in \u201cThe Hail Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roebuck said that one scripted day called for rain, and it rained. A cast member told Roebuck that because \u201cit rained when we needed it to rain, you must have an \u2018in\u2019 with Jesus.\u201d Roebuck laughed, \u201cI named the film after his Mother!\u201d<\/p>\n
An emotional Roebuck recollected that as a student he would tell Sister Kathleen that he was going to write stories and make films. Sister Kathleen died before \u201cThe Hail Mary\u201d was made. Her family gifted Roebuck Sister Kathleen\u2019s rosary. Said Roebuck, \u201cThis movie is my love letter to religious sisters. The heart of the church is the nuns. They are the love [of the church].\u201d<\/p>\n
A montage that was shown depicted Lehigh Valley locations in the film, including The Jaindl Land Company\u2019s former Mary Immaculate Seminary, Lehigh Township; Bethlehem Area School District Stadium; Alliance Fire Company; Northampton Diner, Elek Plumbing, and Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, South Whitehall Township.<\/p>\n
Roebuck noted that once films are made, \u201cthey are forever.\u201d He said that numerous locations for the film, as well as his other films, \u201cGetting Grace,\u201d \u201cLucky Louie\u201d and \u201cSaint Nick of Bethlehem,\u201d include places that are gone or have changed, including Martin Tower, Pete\u2019s Hot Dogs, Roadside America, the original Moravian Book Shop, Bushkill Park, and Fidelity Bank, Bangor. The former Mary Immaculate Seminary is planned to become a mixed-use development that includes a hotel, meeting and event space.<\/p>\n
Roebuck thanked his wife, Tammy; his producers; Beth Clausnitzer, casting and producing, and Kevin Culligan, who provided the football equipment.<\/p>\n
Roebuck also thanked Managing Partner, Hotel Bethlehem, Bruce Haines; Director of Bethlehem Mayor\u2019s Initiatives Angela Stein, in attendance on behalf of Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds; Bethlehem Catholic Principal Dr. Dean Donaher; Bethlehem Area School District Communications Manager Jennifer LoConte, and Liberty High School Grenadier Band Director Allen Frank.<\/p>\n
Roebuck thanked film sponsors, including Hotel Bethlehem, St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network; Jaindl Land Company, Inc.; American Fence, and Yocco\u2019s Hot Dogs. \u201cThis movie was made with donations,\u201d said Roebuck.<\/p>\n
Roebuck said his next film, \u201cMen of Granite,\u201d is to begin filming in late summer 2026. The cast will include Roebuck, Bill George, Joe Estevez and Ted Neeley, who portrayed Jesus in the movie, \u201cJesus Christ Superstar\u201d (1973).<\/p>\n
Roebuck joked, \u201cIf anyone can get Jesus back to Bethlehem, I can.\u201d<\/p>\n
Individuals and businesses interested in placing an ad in the program or becoming a sponsor for the movie premiere, may contact Tammy Roebuck at 813-309-8821.<\/p>\n
Tickets for the movie premiere can be purchased by texting T23134 to 49514 for a link, or at:<\/p>\n
https:\/\/runsignup.com\/TicketEvent\/TheHailMaryMoviePremiere<\/p>\n
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOMarsha Dietlein (Sister Kathy), Daniel Roebuck (Jake), \u201cThe Hail Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n
PRESS PHOTOS BY LISA DRAPERDaniel Roebuck and Marsha Dietlein at \u201cThe Hail Mary\u201d Jan. 9 press conference at Bethlehem Catholic High School.<\/p>\n
Left to right: Marsha Dietlein (Sister Kathy), Joey Draper (Schoolboy), Francine Bianco Tax (Sister Francine) at Jan. 9 press conference for \u201cThe Hail Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It was a homecoming for the cast and crew of \u201cThe Hail Mary\u201d movie, who reunited Jan. 9…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":88208,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154],"class_list":{"0":"post-88207","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bethlehem","8":"tag-bethlehem","9":"tag-bethlehem-headlines","10":"tag-bethlehem-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88207"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88207\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88208"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}