In 1972, a Toronto production of Godspell quietly assembled a cast that included Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Victor Garber, Gilda Radner, and Paul Shaffer as musical director. Nobody filmed it. Not a frame. So the documentary You Had to Be There does the next best thing: it tracks down the surviving cast, digs up rehearsal footage and rare audio, and fills the gaps with animation. The cast recall the show, the overalls, and the late-night parties at Marty and Eugene’s apartment, with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Mike Myers on hand to explain why it mattered. It’s a funny, moving story about how a musical about Jesus accidentally launched a comedy revolution.
Directed by Nick Davis
Starring Marin Short, Eugene Levy, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Gilda Radner
NR | USA | 1 hour 38 minutes
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