BETHLEHEM, Pa. — This version of Santa is coming to town but he isn't from the North Pole.
He's a jolly local and Christmas City native.
Homegrown actor Danny Roebuck leads the film "Saint Nick of Bethlehem," and will appear at ArtsQuest's Frank Banko Alehouse Cinema, 101 Founders Way, on Sunday, Dec. 1.
Roebuck, as Santa, will take part in the theater's "holiday cookies and cocoa" event as part of a promotion for the faith-based movie, filmed entirely in the Lehigh Valley.
"It is a family-friendly movie. It's funny. It's a little tearjerker and it's certainly going to entertain you. And it's perfect for the entire family," Roebuck said in a pre-recorded video filmed outside of ArtsQuest's Christkindlmarkt. "It's something that Hollywood's not giving any more. It's a good old family fun-filled Christmas movie and it's gonna be right here at ArtsQuest."
"Saint Nick" will also screen at the Alehouse Cinema beginning Wednesday, Nov. 27, following another series of matinee showings at Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre in Orefield.
In the film, Roebuck, who has appeared in TV series "9-1-1," “Lost,” and “Matlock,” and in films such as "The Fugitive" and Rob Zombie's "The Munsters," plays Nick McNulty, who finds a renewed spirit after the death of his son by dressing up as Santa Claus.
As seen in the film's trailer, the film shows festive scenery around town including a gleeful Roebuck dancing inside St. Luke's Children's Hospital and the cast riding in a car, seemingly for a Christmas parade, near Historic Hotel Bethlehem.
Roebuck wrote and co-directed the movie with Spencer Folmar, of Hard Faith Productions.
Filming locations also included the Kiffle Kitchen Bakery in Bath, the Star of Bethlehem, Christkindlmarkt at SteelStacks, and Charlie McNulty Auto Sales.
Meet Roebuck Santa
Showtimes for "Saint Nick of Bethlehem" begin at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinema at 1 p.m., 4:45 p.m. and 8 p.m.on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
The movie will continue showing from Thursday, Nov. 28 to Thursday, Dec. 5. Click here to view showtimes.
Tickets cost $11 (regular) or $8.50 (seniors 60 years and older and ages 25 and under), $7.50 for ArtsQuest members. Matinee prices are $8.50 or $7.50 (ages 25 and under and seniors or $7 for ArtsQuest members.
The "Holiday Cookies and Cocoa" event with Roebuck begins at 9:30 a.m. inside ArtsQuest's Fowler Blast Furnace Room on Sunday, Dec. 1.
Tickets cost $16.50 or $15 for ArtsQuest members. Children 17 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Roebuck, as Santa, will take photos with attendees, and Santa's helpers will be passing out holiday cookies and hot cocoa.
"Many years ago, I worked at Leh’s Department Store as the magician while the kids waited for Santa at their annual Breakfast with Santa Claus events," Roebuck said in a news release. "I was the warm-up act and now I get to be the big guy himself. I couldn’t be more excited to step into his boots, right here in the Christmas City."
Shankweiler's Drive-In has also teamed up with Roebuck to premiere the movie at 7 p.m. on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 and a special matinee screening at 5 p.m. on Dec. 7 and Dec. 8. "Wicked" will be shown after Roebuck's film as part of the drive-in's holiday feature.
Shankweiler's owners Matthew McClanahan and Lauren McChesney said they're happy to be able to showcase local talent.
"One of our big initiatives here at Shankweiler's is to uplift and support local film however we can through screenings and special events at our unique theater," McClanahan said. "There is such a vibrant artistic community here in the Lehigh Valley, and being able to support that while also providing much-needed holiday entertainment for area families brings us such joy."
Tickets cost $13.50 per adult and $9.40 for children under 12 years of age (one vehicle admission is included in the ticket price).
They can be purchased on Shankweiler's website or on night-of-show.
Christmas City scenery
Roebuck announced he was making the movie last November as a cheeky response to the Hallmark Channel's "Miracle in Bethlehem, PA," which aired last December on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel and was filmed in Winnipeg, Canada.
Roebuck's other three films, "Lucky Louie," "Getting Grace" and "Hail Mary" also were filmed around the Lehigh Valley.
"Saint Nick" also stars Cathy Moriarty ("Soapdish," "Kindergarten Cop"), Duane Whitaker, Marsha Dietlin Bennett, Duane Whitaker, and local actors Jennifer Porrata, Elias Kemuel, Bradford Haynes, Stelio Savante, Kathy Patters, Kinleigh Johnson, Christopher Kenny an Joey Oltman.
The film was produced by Folmar's Hard Faith Productions in association with A Channel of Peace, a Bethlehem-based organization that Roebuck and his wife founded to produce and support films and other multi-media projects centered around faith and family.
Roebuck and the cast and crew held a premiere last Sunday at the Roxy Theatre in Northampton.
