New Film Features Morristown Pastor, Locations

MORRISTOWN, NJ — It's not every day that you're asked if a movie can be filmed in your workplace, but for one Morristown resident, that call has come in more than once.

Anne Thatcher, the current rector of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Morristown, stated that on several occasions, location scouts have called the church several times asking for permission to film on the property.

It was one of those calls in the fall of 2021 that rekindled her interest in the arts and landed her a small role in a brand-new film production.

"I thought it was fascinating. I mean, I've done a lot of theater work in my younger years, but I've never had the opportunity to be on the set of a production for a film. So just learning how all the pieces went together, was wonderful," Thatcher said.

St. Peter's Episcopal Church was the backdrop of some of the scenes in the brand-new film, "Cocoa," a feel-good comedy that is currently available on Amazon Prime.

According to Thatcher, the production team called St. Peter's because they needed a new location for some scenes, and they were already filming at the Masonic Lodge down the street for a lot of things.

"Then the producer said to me, 'Well, actually we may have a role if you would be interested, and it's the role of a pastor.' So he talked to the director, and the producer called me back again and said, 'Actually, we have two roles, so you could be a pastor or you could be Mrs. Chapman, and that one's got a few more lines.' And I thought, well, I will probably never have an opportunity like this again, and I haven't acted in years, but I love it. I'm a pastor already, so I'll go for Mrs. Chapman," Thatcher said.

The production took place in the fall of 2021, and viewers might be able to recognize the Morristown Green, the town's Historic District and the now-defunct Kilwins ice cream shop, among other locations, Thatcher said.

During the film, there is also a distinct cameo of Mary Dougherty, Mayor Tim Dougherty's wife, alongside a group of local Morristown women, Thatcher said.

Thatcher, who grew up being involved in theater, said that being able to work on this project allowed her to re-explore her creative side.

"I've missed acting because my life's gone in other directions for the last decade or so, and I've never done a film before, and now that I have, I've really enjoyed it and I like a challenge. If something presents itself, again, I'll definitely say yes," Thatcher said.

According to Thatcher, St. Peter's has become somewhat of a destination for both movie and television stars in recent years.

Patrick Dempsey recently filmed scenes for a pilot episode there, and the church was previously used as a lunch spot for the actors in a Morgan Freeman production.

Thatcher, who moved to Morristown in 2020, said that acting and performing were always a part of her childhood, beginning when she was seven years old, in a local performance of "Brer Rabbit's Big Secret."

She continued acting throughout her time in school, gravitating toward musicals such as, "Anything Goes" and "South Pacific."

"I really thought for years I was going to do theater as my career, and that's why I was involved so much. And then my life went in a different direction," Thatcher said.

According to IMDB, "Cocoa" tells the story of two estranged sisters who hit rock bottom and are thrown together to try to rebuild their lives. When their mother's chocolate cake becomes their only source of comfort, they decide to invent a chocolate cake that causes you to lose weight.

The actors Tony Cucci and Artie Pasquale from "The Sopranos" are among the cast members, along with "Cocoa" writer Jody Mortara and Megan McGarvey.