Producer Damon Cardasis on Getting Martin Scorsese to Be ‘Very Honest’ in Docuseries ‘Mr. Scorsese’ and Adapting ‘Saturday Church’ Into a Stage Musical With Sia
Key Takeaways
- Damon Cardasis is currently producing two major projects: the off-Broadway musical adaptation of his film "Saturday Church" and the docuseries "Mr. Scorsese."
- The five-part docuseries "Mr. Scorsese," produced by Cardasis and directed by Rebecca Miller, is premiering at the New York Film Festival before its Apple TV+ debut on October 17th.
- The Scorsese documentary grew significantly from an initial film idea after Rebecca Miller successfully convinced Scorsese to participate.
- The "Saturday Church" musical features book by Cardasis and James Ijames, with music and lyrics provided by Sia, who was Cardasis's dream collaborator.
- Cardasis finds the intense workload challenging but ultimately rewarding, thriving on the pressure of managing both creative endeavors simultaneously.
Damon Cardasis is experiencing a busy period with two significant projects underway: the off-Broadway production of "Saturday Church," a musical adaptation of his 2017 film, and the premiere of the Apple TV+ docuseries "Mr. Scorsese," which he produced. Cardasis is actively involved in both, writing the musical and serving as lead producer for the five-part Scorsese documentary. The documentary project evolved from an initial concept into a multi-part series after Rebecca Miller successfully secured an interview with Scorsese, who had previously declined numerous documentary offers. Filming began during the pandemic, which fortuitously gave them access to Scorsese's time, leading to an incredibly candid and three-dimensional portrait of the director, featuring input from his family and collaborators. Separately, the musical adaptation of "Saturday Church," which deals with a teen exploring gender and sexual identity, came to fruition after Cardasis's agent connected him with his dream composer, Sia, who agreed to write the music and lyrics.
