LOWER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. — Dozens of residents, crew members and the historically curious gathered at Rising River Brewing on Tuesday for a fundraising push for a docudrama highlighting an episode in the Lehigh Valley's past.
And for a teaser look at the film.
Penned as "a film about self-discovery and political protest in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley," the movie focuses on the Fries Rebellion, an armed anti-tax revolt that arose from Pennsylvania Dutch farmers in 1799 that lasted about a year during President John Adams' administration.
- The Lower Macungie Township Historical Society is set to produce a historical docudrama film focused on the Fries Rebellion, a 1799 rebellion that resisted federal taxes
- Dozens gathered at Rising River Brewing for the second of three events to premiere a teaser for the film and launch the fundraising campaign
- The historical society and local partners are hoping to raise $25,000 through crowdfunding, and seek grants and sponsorships to fund the project
Rebellion leader and Revolutionary War veteran John Fries and two others of the largely German-speaking rioters were tried for treason after a crackdown, but pardoned by Adams.
The rebellion was prompted by new federal taxes on real estate and slaves to fund expenses related to the Quasi-War with France.
"It's been a major undertaking and a lot of courage to take this on. So we appreciate your support. We have a lot of support from other local historical societies who are sharing artifacts or information with us. We're very appreciative of that as well."Lower Macungie Historical Society President Sarajane Williams
The historical society will partner with production companies In the Wee Hours and ubiFire Video Productions of Allentown to produce the 30-minute, professionally produced-and-edited film.
"It's been a major undertaking and a lot of courage to take this on," Lower Macungie Historical Society President Sarajane Williams told the dozens who attended the event.
"So we appreciate your support. We have a lot of support from other local historical societies who are sharing artifacts or information with us. We're very appreciative of that as well."
The film is being pursued as a part of nationwide celebrations of the United States' 250th anniversary in 2026.
Locally, John Fries and the Fries Rebellion still has a mark on the area, notably in the naming of the John Fries Highway.
The rebellion's 225th anniversary is in 2024.
Efforts to raise funds
Organizers say the film's overall budget is about $300,000, including grant funding and "any loose pocket change."
An IndieGoGo online fundraiser was launched this week with a goal of raising $25,000 for pre-production costs. Organizers said surpassing that goal would mean better pay for crew and smoother production.
Various rewards — such as shout-outs, T-shirts, opening night tickets, screen credits and live Q&As — are available for different funding levels.
The event at Rising River was among three events promoting the docudrama and the new trailer this week.
The first of the events was Monday at McCoole's at the Red Lion Inn in Quakertown, a historical meeting place for those involved in the rebellion.
Lower Macungie Township Historical Society representatives say Fries family members attended, as well as the current owner of the house of John Fries, Bonnie Stump, who was also present at the Rising River event.
Stump said she was glad the effort was being taken on, and had volunteered as a background actor in the teaser.
"Even when I was in high school, and I would mention the Fries Rebellion, and even my history teacher said, 'I never heard of it, I don't know what it is,'" Stump said.
"I just absorbed this whole thing. It's great."
Brewery owner Ron Beitler announced that a Fries Rebellion beer is being brewed, and $2 from each sale of the drink will go to the film's fundraising efforts.
Following production, the historical society said, the film is intended as an educational tool for K-12 teachers in eastern Pennsylvania to help fill gaps of local history in school curriculum.
It also will be distributed via streaming services, film festivals and to museums and historical societies.
Teaser shows flashback of location history
Filmmakers Dan Hertzog of In the Wee Hours and Craig Friebolin from Ubifire said they met during the production of a Daniel Roebuck film before reviewing the pitch from the historical society and providing a quote for what the full project would cost.
The film clip shown, completed as volunteer work by the producers, depicts a conversation in the Red Lion Inn between a professor and his niece about the rebellion before it suddenly, in the niece's view, transforms into the time of the Fries Rebellion, with outfits depicting the era.
"I'm pretty amazed because I think a lot of people have a personal connection to it that I don't guess I realized."Filmmaker Dan Hertzog of In the Wee Hours
The planned film, with a script by Williams, is set to explore the places and events of the Fries Rebellion seen through the eyes of a modern schoolgirl who gets historical flashbacks as she works to finish a written assignment on the subject.
It's intended to show both the buildup to the rebellion and the crackdown from the still-new federal government.
The filmmakers said they have been pleasantly surprised with the feedback so far.
"I'm pretty amazed because I think a lot of people have a personal connection to it that I don't guess I realized," Hertzog said. "I was very excited about it, because it's a unique presentation of that kind of material."
Williams said she researched several months to write the script, seeking advice and additions from other board members and historians.
"Our area, especially Macungie, was the hotbed for protests for the Fries rebellion, but it affected the whole region," Williams said. "So that would certainly unite all of us in telling the story about Pennsylvania German involvement in the development of the country."
Scenes are set to feature original sites that still exist, such as the Red Lion Inn (then Enoch Robert's Tavern), Buckeye Tavern in Macungie, Jamision Publick House (then Conrad Mark's Tavern) in Geryville and Commix Hotel (then Martin Ritter's Tavern) in Allentown.
"We can still capture these buildings that exist, but the way the development goes, and people don't care about local history, they could just be destroyed overnight, and we don't have anything left," Williams said.
"So it's important thing to capture this in real time now. You wonder what it'll look like 50 years from now?"
Film to educate, entertain, archive
"This film will be professionally produced as an educational tool for K-12 teachers in Eastern Pennsylvania and tourism groups from around the world, and distributed nationwide via streaming services, film festivals, museums, and historical societies," filmmakers say on the IndieGoGo page.
"The film will provide insights into the ongoing, unfolding American experiment, highlight aspects of local heritage, and be a legacy for generations to come."
"We couldn't do this without the public's and the community support because of all the locations and all the reenactment groups and all the people that already care so much about history. If we can gather them all together, and create this authentic piece that will live on forever. That's what I'm excited about, because you don't often get that chance in Hollywood."Filmmaker Dan Hertzog of In the Wee Hours
It seeks to inform not just about the rebellion but also the landscape of the primarily German-speaking populations in and surrounding the "Lehigh Hills" region of what then was Northampton, eastern Berks, Upper Bucks and upper Montgomery counties.
"We couldn't do this without the public's and the community support because of all the locations and all the reenactment groups and all the people that already care so much about history," Hertzog said.
"If we can gather them all together, and create this authentic piece that will live on forever. That's what I'm excited about, because you don't often get that chance in Hollywood."
Filmmakers anticipate production to begin in March 2024 if all goes well.
