Thanksgiving Premiere for Chicago Indie ‘The Christmas Pitch’ as ‘Hamilton’ Star Leads Cast

Santa is coming to town for Thanksgiving and he’s playing matchmaker. The Christmas Pitch, produced by Illinois production and distribution company, Questar Entertainment, is now available for your holiday viewing pleasure on Amazon Prime and Vudu. The diverse cast is led by Joseph Morales, who assumed Lin-Manuel Miranda’s role of Alexander Hamilton for the Chicago run and national tour, and Alexa Maria Huerta (The Chi, Shameless). Directed by Layne Marie Williams, the feature filmed this past April and May in the Downtown Loop district, before riding its sleigh through the Chicagoland suburbs, including Oak Park, Evanston, and Glen Ellyn.

The Christmas Pitch follows William and Becca, two executives at a big-time marketing firm in Chicago, who are sent to William’s hometown of Kringle Lake to rediscover the spirit of Christmas. While there, William’s brother’s bakery is forced to close its doors. William and Becca work together on a plan to save the bakery, and in doing so, they find the Christmas spirit, and more, in each other.

Here is your first look at The Christmas Pitch:

The cast and crew are bringing the Christmas spirit with them. Notables include Debo Belogun, whose on-screen credits include a stint as “Paramedic Darren Clark” on Chicago Med, young newcomer Ramona Edith Williams, who stole festivalgoers hearts across the globe with her performance in Independent Spirit Award Nominee Saint Frances, and Sean Blake, playing Mr. Kriss aka Santa Claus. The supporting cast is peppered with standouts in the Chicago film and theatre scene. Joe Yau (The Chi, Electric Dreams, Betrayal), Chandra Michaels (Dynasty, Chicago Fire), Carly Glenn, and Brandon Rodriguez highlight the roster.

Producer Felicia Ferrara assembled a talented Chicago team, led by Executive Producer Jonathan Plowman and Line Producer Eva Herndon. Director of Photography Daniel Izui (Annabel) was joined by 1st AD Stuart Elmore, 2nd AD Ang Gardner, and Art Designer Kerri Lyn Walsh, whose recent Art Department credits include Jennifer Reeder’s critically acclaimed feature Knives and Skin. Brian Naughton edited the holiday fare, assisted by Jello Thompson. Costume Designer Noël Huntzinger is a mainstay of Chicago’s esteemed theatre community, serving as Artistic Associate at Sideshow Theatre Company, and designing productions for the renowned Goodman Theatre.

The Christmas Pitch will continue its yuletide launch through the 2021 holiday season, arriving on additional platforms the likes of AppleTV and Redbox in the weeks ahead. “The Christmas Pitch stands out as a perfect blend of romance, comedy, and Christmas nostalgia,” Josh da Silva, VP of Questar Entertainment, told SCREEN. “Questar has been in the family television and film business for 35 years. We know want audiences want – it’s a dream to not only distribute it, but now produce it with amazing local talent in Chicago.”

Click here to watch The Christmas Pitch now on Amazon Prime.