Filming for Sons & Daughters of Thunder took place in the Jenny Lind Chapel.
A special benefit screen of Sons & Daughters of Thunder, a new film by Mid-America Emmy® nominated filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films, will be held on Saturday March 30 at the Augustana Lutheran Church, 628 6th Street in Andover, Illinois. A pre-show reception will be held from 6:30 p.m. until 7:15 p.m. The film will screen at 7:30 p.m. in the main sanctuary. The event includes a lobby display of costumes and props, and a Talkback with the filmmakers and several stars following the film. A free-will offering is asked to attend the event and benefits the preservation of the Jenny Lind Chapel.
In the early 19th Century, Christianity was at a crossroads. Fellows in the faith took up sides for or against the South’s peculiar institution based on their interpretation of the scriptures. In 1834, if polite discussion about abolishing slavery were considered inappropriate among Americans in Northern states, then eighteen days of public student-sponsored debates on the divisive subject at Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio were scandalous.
Numerous extras from Andover took part in the film for the debate scenes.
Organized by Theodore Weld (portrayed by actor Thomas Alan Taylor), one of the architects of the abolitionist movement, the shocking oratory sparked intense controversy and awakened a young Harriet Beecher Stowe (played by actress Jessica Taylor) to the horrors of slavery.
When school trustees slapped a gag order on the "Lane Rebels," most of the students left the school in collective protest. Inspired by the debates and her first-hand observations of slavery across the Ohio River, Harriet’s novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was described by President Abraham Lincoln as the book that started the Civil War.
Thomas Alan Taylor stars as abolitionist Theodore Weld in the film.
Sons & Daughters of Thunder is based on the play by Earlene Hawley and Curtis Heeter, and tells the unforgettable true story of the beginning of the end of slavery in America. The film features an original score by William Campbell, the composer behind the Academy Award-nominated documentary “Lifeboat”.
The film is available to PRE-ORDER on DVD by clicking HERE. The DVDs will ship in late July.
“It is exciting to return to Andover for this very special screening event,” said director Kelly Rundle. “The community of Andover was so kind to us while we were filming in the Jenny Lind Chapel for Thunder and really rolled out the red carpet to the cast and crew. We are happy to present the finished film for the 185th anniversary of the nation’s first public debates regarding the abolition of slavery, and to help raise funds for the beautiful Jenny Lind Chapel."
The producers note that the film is not for young children, and the film’s detailed discussions of slavery might suggest a PG-13 rating.
DP Kevin Railsback (with camera) waits as the actors are prepared for the next scene in the Jenny Lind Chapel.
In addition to the Jenny Lind Chapel, principal photography for the film took place at several other historic sites in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas, including the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Augustana College’s House on the Hill, and the Dillon Home Museum in Sterling, Illinois. Filming also took place at the Harriet Beecher Stowe House in Cincinnati, Ohio, the only remaining structure on what was Lane Seminary grounds, and at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
Executive producer/casting director and actress Kimberly Kurtenbach as Catharine Beecher.
Kimberly Kurtenbach is the Executive Producer on the film and also stars as Catharine Beecher. Kurtenbach also served as casting director on the project, and the Quad Citians cast in this true story included Janos Horvath, Tom Walljasper, Mike Kennedy, Don Denton, Mike Schulz, Tristan Tapscott, Justin Marxen, Jaylen Marks, Pat Flaherty, Joe Maubach, Lora Adams and others. The film also stars Mark Winn and Anthony Stratton from Los Angeles. Over fifty extras took part in crowd scenes during several parts of the film, many of them from Andover.
The film was shot by award-winning director of photography Kevin Railsback. Chris Ryder handled sound and visual effects. Emily Busha was the film’s costume designer, circa 1834.
Sons & Daughters of Thunder is dedicated to co-producer Kent Hawley, who passed away in 2017, and his wife Earlene Hawley.
Costume designer Emily Busha prepares actress Jess Taylor (Harriet Beecher) for the chapel scene.
Sons & Daughters of Thunder is slated for national release in May 2019 with screenings in independent theaters and film festivals to follow. The film will also be released on DVD, followed by broadcasts and online streaming. For more information about Sons & Daughters of Thunder, visit www.LaneRebelsMovie.com.
Sons & Daughters of Thunder was partially funded by a grant from the Quad City Arts, provided by the Illinois Arts Council Agency, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation and John Deere; and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council. The Moline Foundation and the Shell Rock Community Historical Society served as the fiscal sponsors for the project.
The Jenny Lind Chapel peeks through the gravestones. A number of Cholera victims are buried in the cemetery--an epidemic that impacted many in Cincinnati during the time of the historic debates.
The Rundles are the producers of the Mid-America Emmy® nominated documentaries Good Earth: Awakening the Silent City, Country School: One Room – One Nation, Letters Home to Hero Street, and River to River: Iowa’s Forgotten Highway 6. Other award-winning productions include Villisca: Living with a Mystery, Lost Nation: The Ioway (series), The Barn Raisers, and The Amish Incident.