VIDEO: Celebrate 50 Years of GODSPELL with a Mega-Reunion on Backstage LIVE with Richard Ridge- Watch Now!

Prepare ye, for a Godspell mega-reunion! Fifty years ago, on May 17, 1971, a musical phenomenon opened off-Broadway.

What began as a master's thesis project for Carnegie Mellon student John-Michael Tebelak, would go on to entertain the masses on Broadway and off, in Toronto, on multiple national tours, on the big screen and of course, eventually at regional theatres and schools all over the world.

Structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew, the beloved musical is interspersed with music set primarily to lyrics from traditional hymns, with the passion of Christ appearing briefly near the end of the show. Just some of the show's many beloved songs, written by Stephen Schwartz, include "Prepare Ye," "Bless the Lord," "All Good Gifts," "We Beseech Thee," and of course, "Day By Day,"which reached the Billboard pop singles chart in the summer of 1972.

The show also launched the careers of so many performers who have gone on to have extraordinary careers.

"When you start off in show business with that kind of collaboration and that kind of abandon and mischievousness, you don't have that expectation for everything that you do... but certainly part of you always thinks, 'Shouldn't I be loose and having fun?'" explained original Toronto cast member Andrea Martin. "It was an uninhibited, joyful time, and when you start like that, you hope that everything else [in your career] will be too."

"Godspell has never left me, or any of us, and never will," said off-Broadway cast member Joanne Jonas. "I haven't seen all of the other productions around the world, but I have seen ones in Portland Oregon, in Boulder Creek, California, in San Jose... little companies who found me and asked me to come to their show. That's the most remarkable thing! [Godspell] is alive everywhere." Alive it certainly is...

In honor of the show's 50th anniversary, BroadwayWorld, with the help of the wonderful Merle Frimark, has gathered members of the Godspell family to talk about some of their favorite memories. watch to hear from: Jayne Eastwood, Peggy Gordon, Joanne Jonas, Paul Kreppel, Robin Lamont, Andrea Martin, Gilmer McCormick, Stephen Nathan, Dean Pitchford, Steve Reinhardt, Don Scardino, Paul Shaffer, Martin Short!