Judd Apatow to Produce GODSPELL Documentary About Legendary Toronto Production

Judd Apatow is producing a new documentary about the star-studded original Toronto production of Godspell.

The documentary will follow the original cast, which includes Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer, Andrea Martin and Dave Thomas, Deadline reports.

Set for a 2025 release, the documentary includes interviews with all surviving cast members, never-before-seen footage, and personal archives. The film is produced and directed by Nick Davis, who co-wrote it with Jane Mendelsohn.

Also included in the documentary will be audio recordings that Short made of the musical and intimate parties where the cast drank, partied, and perhaps fell in love during intimate gatherings.

“The audio tapes will help bring this extraordinary moment to life,” director Davis says. “It was truly like a kind of Paris in the ’20s of the comedy revolution that was to come, and listening to these tapes is like being a fly on the wall when history is being made.”

The film will also delve into the creative scene in Toronto during the musical's run, which included friends of the cast like Catherine O'Hara, Dan Aykroyd, and John Candy.

The 1972 production was only supposed to run for a couple of weeks, but extended to over a year and a half due to popularity. Garber landed the role of Jesus in the movie musical adaptation, which brought him to New York for the first time.

Stephen Schwartz's much-loved musical celebrating the life and teachings of Jesus features the Gospel according to St. Matthew, 1970s style. As Jesus taught with parables and storytelling Godspell utilizes clowning, pantomime, charades, acrobatics and vaudeville to tell the story of Christ's passion. Familiar songs include "Day by Day," "Turn Back, O Man" and "Bless the Lord."