You Had to Be There

The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “You Had to Be There” showing Oct. 16-21 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.

“You Had to Be There” premiered to rave reviews at the recent Sedona International Film Festival. It is now making its national theatrical debut.

On June 1, 1972, a humble production of a hit musical retelling of the Book of Matthew officially opened its run at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in downtown Toronto. As for what happened next, that may be most accurately expressed by the subtitle for Nick Davis’ celebratory 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)”.

And that’s no empty boast about a bunch of singing hippies. Based solely on the bright futures of so many of the talents who formed the cast during the 14-month run — Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, and Jayne Eastwood plus musical director Paul Shaffer — “Godspell’s” impact and influence cannot be overstated. The improvisational element of the musical itself helped foster a unique sensibility that comedy fans would soon recognize in “Saturday Night Live”, “SCTV”, and countless other TV shows and movies.

As Davis’ film reveals, the Toronto “Godspell” was a hugely formative experience in the lives of the participants, too. With its deft mix of engaging interviews with surviving participants, animated recreations, and other means of compensating for the scarcity of original archival materials (if only audience members had smartphones in 1972), “You Had to Be There” brings this special time back into the present with an irrepressible sense of joy.

The all-star cast of “You Had to Be There” includes Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Paul Shaffer, Stephen Schwartz, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mike Myers, Heidi Gardner, Gary Gulman, James Austin Johnson, Janeane Garofalo, Andrea Martin, Victor Garber, Dave Thomas, Jayne Eastwood, Valda Aviks, Avril Chown, Don Scardino and Rudy Webb.

“You Had to Be There” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre Oct. 16-21. Showtimes will be Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and 17 at 3:00 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 18 at 4:00 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 19 at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.; and Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 20 and 21 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona.