The Whistler Film Festival is set to kick off its 25th anniversary edition with a celebration of one of Canada's most influential cultural touchstones. The festival opener is the 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).
The Cast That Changed Comedy
Directed by Nick Davis, the film chronicles the extraordinary 1972 Toronto production of the musical Godspell. This wasn't just any theatre production; it was the launching pad for a generation of comedic talent. The cast included then-unknown performers like Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, Jayne Eastwood, and musical director Paul Shaffer.
These individuals would go on to define comedy for decades, creating legendary work on SCTV and Saturday Night Live, and starring in iconic films and TV shows such as Splash, Schitt’s Creek, Titanic, Alias, Best in Show, and Only Murders in the Building.
A "Head-Spinning" Phenomenon
In an interview, actor Victor Garber recalled the immediate and overwhelming impact of the show. "We had no idea there was going to be that kind of response. It was head-spinning," said Garber, who joined the cast after touring with the Canadian Rock Theatre.
He vividly remembered the rehearsal process, sensing he was part of something special. "I knew that I was surrounded by unusually talented people. I was very aware that I was around incredibly gifted people," Garber reflected. Almost overnight, the cast became local celebrities, a rare feat in Canada at the time. "It was hard to be famous in Canada, unless you were a hockey player," he noted.
The show's success was so immense that crowds gathered outside the theatre every night. It even attracted protesters who objected to its hippie-style, clown-portrayal of Jesus, though Garber pointed out they likely "hadn't seen it."
A Festival of Canadian Stories
The Godspell documentary is a centerpiece of the Whistler Film Festival (WFF), which runs from December 3 to 7. The festival will showcase 106 films from 21 countries, including 30 feature films and 76 short films. The programming boasts a strong Canadian focus, with 67 per cent Canadian content, and features 31 world premieres and 15 Canadian premieres.
Director Nick Davis described the experience of making the film as akin to being "hired by a family to tell their family story." The documentary is packed with exclusive content, including:
- Interviews with surviving cast members and celebrity fans
- Never-before-seen footage and personal archive materials
- Historic audio recordings
- Unique animation inspired by Scooby Doo and Yellow Submarine
This film not only revisits a pivotal moment in Canadian entertainment but also honors the close-knit community that formed on the stage of the Royal Alexandra Theatre, a community that would ultimately reshape the comedic landscape on both sides of the border.
