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Q with Tom Power

Q with Tom Power

How a 1972 Toronto musical changed comedy forever

Oct 26, 2026 · 24 min · 13 segments

For more than five decades, Jayne Eastwood has been one of the most recognizable and beloved faces in Canadian comedy, film and television — from Goin’ Down the Road and SCTV to My Big Fat Greek…

For more than five decades, Jayne Eastwood has been one of the most recognizable and beloved faces in Canadian comedy, film and television — from Goin’ Down the Road and SCTV to My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In 1972, she joined the iconic Toronto stage production of Godspell alongside a powerhouse cast including Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin and Gilda Radner. Now, a new documentary, You Had To Be There, looks back at that legendary production, the friendships that came out of it and the extraordinary generation of Canadian comedy that followed. Jayne joins Tom Power to reflect on her time in Godspell, why she chose to build her career in Canada, and why she remains as brave as ever.

For more than five decades, Jayne Eastwood has been one of the most recognizable and beloved faces in Canadian comedy, film and television — from Goin’ Down the Road and SCTV to My Big Fat Greek…

Speakers: Jayne EastwoodGuestTom PowerHostGarvia BaileyHost

Top entities: Jayne Eastwood×30 Hart Pomerantz×8 Gilda Radner×14 Andrea Martin×5 Toronto×14

Casting Godspell2:46 – 7:26

Garvia BaileyHost

2:46

How are you?

Jayne EastwoodGuest

2:46

I'm good, Tom.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

2:47

Thank you so much.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

2:48

I'm a proud Hamiltonian now, just to say rah-rah for Hamilton a little

2:53

bit.

2:55

I saw you react to the clip we played you.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

2:59

Well, we had no idea that they had this clip.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:02

I don't know how Nick Davis found it.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:04

He was a genius, genius director and editor with almost no footage.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:10

I really shouldn't tell people that because they might not want to see it.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:13

It's an incredible documentary.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:15

It's an amazing documentary.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:15

It's a beautiful, really beautiful documentary.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:18

And it was a beautiful production.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:21

It was amazing.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:22

Yeah.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:23

It was like, the casting was like American Idol.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:27

It was totally an open call and it was at the Masonic Temple in Toronto.

3:33

Yeah, but you weren't unknown at this point.

3:35

It's not like American Idol for you.

3:37

Right.

3:37

Because maybe for some of them, where were you in your career when you got the audition?

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:41

Well, it wasn't like, it was like American Idol for me because Stephen Schwartz was from New York and he was casting.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:48

So he had no idea who I was.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:50

I was just sort of, mini famous in Toronto because of going down the road.

Jayne EastwoodPersonCanadian actress and comedian
99%30 mentions
Hart PomerantzPersonCanadian lawyer and writer
98%8 mentions
Gilda RadnerPersonAmerican actress and comedian
96%14 mentions
Andrea MartinPersonAmerican-Canadian actress and comedian
94%5 mentions
TorontoCityCity in Ontario, Canada
93%14 mentions
CanadaCountryCountry in North America
91%36 mentions
Eugene LevyPersonCanadian actor and comedian
90%15 mentions
Lorne MichaelsPersonCanadian-American television producer and screenwriter
88%6 mentions
Stephen SchwartzPersonAmerican musical composer and lyricist
86%4 mentions
Canadian Broadcasting CorporationCompanyBroadcasting company
85%8 mentions
United StatesCountryCountry in North America
83%6 mentions
New YorkCityCity in New York State
81%5 mentions
Tom PowerPersonCanadian musician
80%13 mentions
My Big Fat Greek WeddingMovie2002 film
78%2 mentions
Goin' Down the RoadMovie1970 film
77%1 mention
Second City TelevisionTV SeriesCanadian television show
75%3 mentions
United KingdomCountryCountry in Europe
73%4 mentions
Nick DavisPersonAmerican writer and director
72%1 mention
You Had to Be ThereMovie2025 film
70%5 mentions
HealthEntity
69%2 mentions
Judd ApatowPersonAmerican director and film producer
67%1 mention
Tom HanksPersonAmerican actor and filmmaker
65%1 mention
QBroadcast Service
64%2 mentions
Dan AykroydPersonCanadian-American actor and comedian
62%3 mentions
Martin ShortPersonCanadian comedian and actor
60%27 mentions
Saturday Night LiveTV SeriesAmerican comedy series
59%4 mentions
Paul ShafferPersonCanadian musician and actor
57%1 mention
Maniac MansionTV SeriesSitcom
56%2 mentions
American IdolTV SeriesAmerican television series
54%4 mentions
OntarioAdministrative AreaCanadian Province
52%2 mentions
Grace Under FireTV SeriesAmerican sitcom
51%3 mentions
Canadian Songwriters Hall of FameOrganizationNon-profit organization
49%1 mention
HollywoodAdministrative AreaNeighborhood in Los Angeles, California
48%2 mentions
Dave ThomasPersonCanadian actor and comedian
46%2 mentions
The Hart and Lorne Terrific HourTV SeriesTelevision show
44%1 mention
The Kids in the HallTV SeriesCanadian comedy series
43%1 mention
David FlahertyPersonActor ‧ Jayne Eastwood's husband
41%2 mentions
Al JolsonPersonLithuanian-American singer and comedian
40%2 mentions
Victor GarberPersonCanadian film actor and singer
38%2 mentions
John CandyPersonCanadian actor and comedian
36%2 mentions
Cannibal GirlsMovie1973 film
35%1 mention
Royal Alexandra TheatreLandmarkTheatre in Toronto, Ontario
33%1 mention
LondonCityCapital of England
31%1 mention
McMaster UniversityCollege or UniversityPublic university in Hamilton, Ontario
30%1 mention
Broadway theatreEntity
28%1 mention
Mary MagdalenePersonSaint
27%1 mention
Los AngelesCityCity in California
25%2 mentions
David LettermanPersonAmerican television host and comedian
23%1 mention
AmericansEntityEthnic group
22%1 mention
HamiltonCityCity in Ontario, Canada
20%1 mention

Television ComedyTelevision > American Television
Performing Arts DocumentariesFilm > Documentary Film
Toronto production and original castEntertainment > Theater > Musical Theater > Godspell
Godspell documentaryFilm > Documentary Film > Performing Arts Documentaries
Recollections of the Toronto castFilm > Documentary Film > Performing Arts Documentaries > Godspell documentary
Second City alumniComedy > Canadian Comedy
Canadian comedians in American televisionComedy > Canadian Comedy > Second City alumni
Godspell cast career connectionsComedy > Canadian Comedy > Second City alumni > Canadian comedians in American television
Canadian influence on U.S. comedyTelevision > American Television > Television Comedy
Saturday Night Live and sitcom pathwaysTelevision > American Television > Television Comedy > Canadian influence on U.S. comedy
Jane ReynoldsBiography > Performers > Canadian Actors
Career, relationships, and life choicesBiography > Performers > Canadian Actors > Jane Reynolds
Canadian ActorsBiography > Performers
PerformersBiography
GodspellEntertainment > Theater > Musical Theater
Canadian ComedyComedy
TheaterEntertainment
Musical TheaterEntertainment > Theater
Documentary FilmFilm
Biography
Entertainment
Television
American TelevisionTelevision
Comedy
Film

Casting Godspell2:46 – 7:26

Garvia BaileyHost

2:46

How are you?

Jayne EastwoodGuest

2:46

I'm good, Tom.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

2:47

Thank you so much.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

2:48

I'm a proud Hamiltonian now, just to say rah-rah for Hamilton a little

2:53

bit.

2:55

I saw you react to the clip we played you.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

2:59

Well, we had no idea that they had this clip.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:02

I don't know how Nick Davis found it.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:04

He was a genius, genius director and editor with almost no footage.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:10

I really shouldn't tell people that because they might not want to see it.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:13

It's an incredible documentary.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:15

It's an amazing documentary.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:15

It's a beautiful, really beautiful documentary.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:18

And it was a beautiful production.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:21

It was amazing.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:22

Yeah.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:23

It was like, the casting was like American Idol.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:27

It was totally an open call and it was at the Masonic Temple in Toronto.

3:33

Yeah, but you weren't unknown at this point.

3:35

It's not like American Idol for you.

3:37

Right.

3:37

Because maybe for some of them, where were you in your career when you got the audition?

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:41

Well, it wasn't like, it was like American Idol for me because Stephen Schwartz was from New York and he was casting.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:48

So he had no idea who I was.

Jayne EastwoodGuest

3:50

I was just sort of, mini famous in Toronto because of going down the road.

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