The musical *Godspell*, created by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak, became a global phenomenon in the 1970s. Although it played on Broadway and London’s West End, it was the 1972 Toronto production that achieved legendary status, thanks to a cast of actors who were just starting their careers—most of whom went on to become established stars.
The story of this production is told in the fascinating new documentary *You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way)*.
Director: Nick Davis
Writers: Nick Davis, Jane Mendelsohn
Stars: John Candy, Mike Myers, Catherine O'Hara
The cast members included Martin Short, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer, and Dave Thomas. With the exception of the late Radner, all the stars appear in the film to share their memories. Joining them are their fellow cast members—less famous but equally talented—Don Scardino, Jayne Eastwood, Valda Avkis, and Avril Chown. Together, they guide the viewer through the audition process, rehearsals, and the local fame the show achieved immediately upon its debut. They explain why the play—a rather unique take on the life of Jesus Christ—made such an impact; its comedic and optimistic tone was one of the reasons.
Given that these are funny people, the stories they tell are hilarious. It is impossible to gather such a group without anecdotes and mischief arising—whether romantic or otherwise. Short and Radner became a couple, Levy took on a leadership role because he was dissatisfied with certain aspects of the staging, and one of the actors hid microphones on stage to make an illegal recording of the performance—excerpts of which are brilliantly featured throughout the documentary. (Who says good crimes don't exist?) From a comedy perspective, hearing these legends talk about their beginnings in show business—and what they thought of one another—is a real gem. Animated sequences effectively recreate events that were never captured on camera.
However, *You Had to Be There* goes beyond a mere recap of the Ontario production. Director Nick Davis gets the actors to delve deep into what *Godspell* meant to them. It is clear that a special symbiosis emerged on that stage: they all arrived with immense talent and fed off one another, reaching heights they never would have imagined possible. That collective magic elevated everyone involved. As is well known, Short, Levy, Martin, and Thomas would go on to star in *SCTV* together, and cast members continued to collaborate on film projects as well; such was the strength of the bond forged during *Godspell*.
The final part of the documentary focuses on the actors' paths after *Godspell*. Although we are familiar with their later careers, Davis ensures everything ties back to that formative experience, making it clear how the personal and professional relationships established then had a direct and significant impact on the world of comedy—a legacy that endures to this day. On a sadder note, we learn the story of Avril Chown—who seemed destined for an equally brilliant career in show business—but who became disillusioned after a traumatic incident on a television program following *Godspell*.
Setting that aside, *You Had to Be There* is a joyful work that chronicles how this group of unknowns revolutionized comedy.
Comments
Post a Comment