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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)

Play trailer 2:25 Poster for 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) Sep 2026 1h 38m Documentary Musical Play Trailer Watchlist
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94% Tomatometer 36 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer, and other entertainment icons got their start in a 1972 Toronto production of the musical Godspell. Featuring interviews with the surviving cast members, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mike Myers, and more, the film recounts a pivotal moment in comedy history, in hilarious, moving, and inspiring detail. Executive produced by Judd Apatow.
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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)

Critics Reviews

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Adam Kempenaar Filmspotting Oct 2, 2026
3/5
A documentary about a production no one can relive never quite overcomes its central obstacle, but the attempt has its rewards. Go to Full Review Caroline Siede AV Club Sep 23, 2026
What rings out [most] powerfully is its love letter to the theater kid experience, which it turns out feels the same whether you’re doing college theater in Illinois or a future all-star production in Canada. Go to Full Review Donald Liebenson RogerEbert.com Sep 18, 2026
4/4
[This] comes closest to fulfilling comedy fans’ ultimate time-machine fantasy. Go to Full Review Andrew Parker The Gate Oct 5, 2026
7/10
It’s not a deep film, but one that nicely looks at how Godspell was a successful incubator of talent at the time. Go to Full Review Stephen Silver The SS Ben Hecht Oct 2, 2026
Over the years, this production has taken on something of a mythic status, and the documentary is worthy of that reputation. Go to Full Review Patrick McDonald WBGR-FM (93.7 FM - Monroe, WI) Oct 2, 2026
4/5
A showbiz doc that simply cannot miss as 1972 Toronto and the stage musical GODSPELL launched the careers of Victor Garber, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Paul Schaffer and Andrea Martin. Take off to the Great White North. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Greg G 4 days ago Everything I thought it would be and more...a treasure! See more Meggie Sep 28, 2026 A great capture of a cultural moment. See more Stephen Davis Sep 27, 2026 Excellent documentary on an awesome subject matter! See more Stephen C @dogfood23111 4 days ago The worldwide gross is $180,827.00. See more Sarah 6 days ago Three generations saw this movie together and LOVED it! Can’t wait for it to be streaming so we can watch it again. See more Randy V @RT21175111 Oct 9, 2026 Can't remember the last time I had so much fun learning a history I should have known from long ago about comedians I love today. From a time before we recorded everything. They actually had to talk about it. And I miss Gilda Radner. See more Read all reviews
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)

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Cast & Crew

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Nick Davis

Director

Valda Aviks

Self

Avril Chown

Self

Jayne Eastwood

Self

Victor Garber

Self

Eugene Levy

Self

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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)

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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)

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Movie Info

Synopsis Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer, and other entertainment icons got their start in a 1972 Toronto production of the musical Godspell. Featuring interviews with the surviving cast members, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mike Myers, and more, the film recounts a pivotal moment in comedy history, in hilarious, moving, and inspiring detail. Executive produced by Judd Apatow.
Director
Nick Davis
Producer
Nick Davis, Sue Turley, Tom Powers, Bonnie Comley, Stewart F. Lane
Screenwriter
Nick Davis, Jane Mendelsohn
Distributor
Greenwich Entertainment
Genre
Documentary, Musical
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 18, 2026, Limited
Runtime
1h 38m
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