Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, January 14, 2023

Mountain View News Saturday, January 14, 2023 

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 
Sweet Siblings, Joey & Liza 


MOVIE REVIEW: "One Night in Miami" Just out of babyhood, these siblings are 
only 4 months old and very sweet. Liza 

[Nyerges’ column appears most weeks in this paper. He is an educator and author of 

is almost all black, with a white mus-

such books as “How to Survive Anywhere,” “Extreme Simplicity,” Foraging Califor


tache and chin; Joey is black and white 

nia,” and others. More information at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.] 

with a cute black mark around his nose 
and a narrow, white blaze. Liza and Joey 

On this weekend when Americans honor the legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., 

are playful with people they know well, 

let’s consider another civil rights leader of that era: Malcolm Little, aka Malcolm X. 

but may be a little shy with someone new 

Though there are hours of interviews of Malcolm X that you can watch on Youtube, 

I found the movie “One Night in Miami” very insightful and instructive.
“One Night in Miami” begins by introducing us to four men in 1964: Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim 
Brown, and Sam Cooke, each arguably at the top of their game in, respectively, boxing, civil rights, 
football, and music.
The movie begins with brief introductions to these key players – we assume that most viewers already 
know them. We begin by watching the fight that jettisoned Cassius Clay to the heavy-weight 
title of the world, the February 25, 1964 fight with Sonny Liston. Then, after the win, Jim Brown 
and Sam Cooke expected to party with Cassius until the cows came home, but they first meet at the 
motel room which Malcolm X reserved for them. 
The bulk of the movie then deals with their conversation, which, of course, no one has any idea if 
anything like this actually took place. That’s the beauty of “One Night in Miami”: Writer Kemp 
Powers took great literary license, set into the historical reality of the day, and tried to present us 
with what these four Greats might have talked about. The result is riveting, insightful, humorous, 
and sad, and opens a portal to the thinking of those directly involved with the civil rights struggle 
of the 1960s. 
After the fight, Malcolm X and Cassius Clay had planned a short discussion, and Cassius is trying 
to decide how and when to announce that he will join the Nation of Islam. Once Cooke and Brown 
arrive, they want to know when others will join them for the party, but Malcolm tells them that it’s 
just them, and no liquor. They are not happy.
Malcolm X is the spiritual leader and guide of the discussion, admonishing each of the men to do 
better, to rise up, to not let their lives be dictated by their white agents and bosses. Perhaps the most 
revealing and compelling discussion is when Malcolm X chides Sam Cooke for not rising to the occasion 
of civil rights in his music, and for just pandering to the emotional whims of his mostly white 
audiences. Cooke is incensed, pointing out how he owns his label, owns his copyrights, and how 
he has worked towards equality through economic means. Cooke angrily points out that everyone 
in the room has an actual job, that is, all but Malcolm X. That only momentarily silences the actor 
portraying Malcolm X, who seems to be fairly accurately representing the real Malcolm X as a strict 
and uncompromising American Muslim.
Another near fight breaks out during a later discussion where Malcolm X tells Clay, reluctantly, that 
he is actually thinking of leaving the Nation of Islam. Clay goes into a rage, feeling that Malcolm X 
was just using him to lend credence to Malcolm’s own possible breakaway group.
Powers did a masterful job of combing through the historical record to paint a realistic picture of 
the conversation that could have happened, which weaved together the drama occurring in each of 
the four men’s lives. 
Clay was going to “come out” as a Muslim and knew it might hurt his career.
Cooke loved Bob Dylan’s song which so accurately described Cooke’s feeling – “how many roads 
must a man walk down, before he is called a man?” – and he was visibly ruffled by Malcolm X’s suggestions 
that he wasn’t doing enough, that a white man was beating Cooke to this civil rights message. 
The movie depicts Cooke’s new direction by his performing of “A Change Is Going to Come” 
on the Johnny Carson show. (In fact, this song was recorded before Clay’s heavyweight fight).
Brown was at the top of his game, and was about to decide to retire from football and go into acting, 
a never-certain proposition.
And Malcolm X, wanting to inspire each of these men to even greater heights in service to the goal 
of equal rights for the black man, was himself in turmoil. Though Malcolm X had become the eloquent 
spokesman for the American-born Nation of Islam, he was well aware of the lavish lifestyle of 
the leader, Elijah Muhammad, and his many women. Most objective observers regarded Malcolm 
X as nearly a saint by comparison to the leader of the Nation, and after Malcolm X’s visit to Mecca, 
he saw a new side of Islam, that Islam embodied people of all races. He knew that breaking from the 
Nation would have dramatic consequences, and he even foresaw his eventual assassination.
Though the movie makes a few alterations in the chronology of known historical dates, the movie 
otherwise flows well and is believable. I was spellbound, and could not stop discussing its various 
aspects long after it was over.
The movie ends with certain highlights of each of the four men: Cassius Clay declaring the next day 
that he was a member of the Nation of Islam, and his name was now Muhammad Ali. Jim Brown 
retiring from football and pursuing an acting career. Sam Cooke revealing a new song which 
revealed a new direction towards support of the civil rights movement. And lastly, Malcolm X is 
shown reading the manuscript of his autobiography, as told to Alex Haley. Almost a year after Cassius 
Clay won the heavyweight title, on February 21, 1965, Malcolm X, no longer with the Nation 
of Islam, was giving a talk at the Audubon Ballroom when he was gunned down by at least three 
members of the Nation of Islam that night.
“One Night in Miami” shares a personal, private side of these four men, and does justice to their 
memories. 
Cassius Clay played by Eli George, Malcolm X played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Jim Brown played by 
Aldis Hodge, and Sam Cooke played by Leslie Odom Jr. If you haven’t the slightest idea of how to 
commemorate King Day, try watching “One Night in Miami.” 

BILLIE! BACKSTAGE WITH LADY DAY RETURNS TO SIERRA 
MADRE PLAYHOUSE STARTING JANUARY 13 

Following its sold-out run in 2022, Billie! Backstage 
with Lady Day returns to Sierra Madre 
Playhouse. 

Billie Holiday (1915-1959) was a trail-blazing 
musical artist, known as perhaps the first female 
vocalist to use her voice in the style of jazz improvisation. 
Recording first with Benny Goodman, 
she became the first Black female vocalist 
to front a white band, that of Artie Shaw. She also 
performed with Count Basie and Duke Ellington. 
She had long professional associations with saxophonist 
Lester Young (who named her Lady Day; 
she called him Prez) and pianist Teddy Wilson. 

Born to poverty in Philadelphia, she was 
a victim of sexual assault while still a child and 
sentenced by the court to a Catholic correctional 
institution. It was only her first experience with 
the court, however. She was convicted at age 13 
(along with her mother) of prostitution. Subsequent 
arrests involved possession of narcotics 
and substance abuse. 

Despite a turbulent life, abusive relationships, 
and racism, she prevailed to become one of the 
greatest jazz and blues artists of her time, before 
her untimely demise at age 44 from cirrhosis of 
the liver. In addition to multiple hit recordings, 
she sold out Carnegie Hall three times. 

Actor-singer-playwright Synthia L. Hardy brings 
the story of Billie Holiday to vibrant life. In Billie! 
Backstage with Lady Day, Billie is being interviewed 
by unseen reporters as she unfolds the 
story of her turbulent life. Billie, accompanied by 
a live four-piece combo, sings her greatest hits, including 
God Bless the Child, Strange Fruit, Good 
Morning Heartache, Lover Man, many more. 

Synthia L. Hardy has appeared in film, on 
T.V., commercials (radio and T.V.) and on stages 
nationally and internationally. She was recently 
featured in the film, Sylvie’s Love .She won the 
NAACP Theatre Award for Billie! Backstage with 
Lady Day for Best One Person Show. She, also, 
won two Artistic Director Achievement Awards 
(A.D.A.) for the same show (Billie!...) for Best 
Actress in a Musical or Comedy and Best One 
Person Show. Synthia won an Emmy Award for 
the documentary, Precious Memories: A Stroll 
Down 47th Street and has received other awards 
and nominations for her work, including another 
NAACP Theatre Award, Dramalogue Critics 
Award (twice), LA Weekly Award (just to name 
a few). Some of Synthia’s work includes: Home; 
Merry Wives of Windsor; Flyin’ West; Rap Master 
Ronnie; The Little Dreamer: A Night in the 
Life of Bessie Smith; and A Corner of Gold. She 
has written and starred in her own cabaret show, 
Dinner Musicale with Synthia & Friends.. Synthia 
has toured with various singing groups doing 
tributes to Oldies and Doo Wop girl groups. 
Synthia is originally from Chicago. 


Bryan Rasmussen directs. An award‐
winning actor as well as a director, producer, 
teacher, coach, and Artistic Director of the 
Whiteβire Theatre, he’s proud to be celebrating 
its’ 33rd anniversary season this year! Beside 
directing most all of the last year’s “Shorts” 
shows including Hollywood, Summer, Fall, and 
Spring Shorts, in the 10 years he has owned the 
Whiteβire, Bryan has produced well over 500 
shows, as well as over 50 world premiere productions 
including The Bellβlower Session, Love Like 
Blue, Mark Twain in the 20th Century, Seasons 
of Change and many others. He recently directed 
and acted in the world premiere of the critically 
acclaimed production of FIREHOUSE.. He directed 
and starred in the 50th Anniversary production 
of Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter as 
well as produced and directed Old School as part 
of his Young Actors School. Also, he directed the 
35th anniversary production of Sam Shepard’s 
Buried Child. 

Ms. Hardy will be accompanied by a live, 
onstage four-piece combo. 

Billie! Backstage with Lady Day is the story 
of a legendary musical talent, performed by an 
extraordinary musical star with her ace musical 
combo. If you appreciate jazz and blues at all, you 
owe it to yourself to see this show. 

Billie! Backstage with Lady Day kicks off 
the Sierra Madre Playhouse Solo Shows Festival 
for 2023. For full information about upcoming 
events, go to http://sierramadreplayhouse.org 

Covid-19 safety protocols are being observed. 
As of this writing, this means that audience 
members will be required to wear masks 
inside the Playhouse auditorium. 

Billie! Backstage with Lady Day. A show 
with music. Written and performed by Synthia L. 
Hardy. Directed by Bryan Rasmussen. Presented 
by Sierra Madre Playhouse. At Sierra Madre Playhouse, 
87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, 
CA 91024. January 13- January 22, 2023. Fridays 
and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. Reservations: 
(626) 355-4318 or go to www.sierramadreplayhouse.
org 

until they get used to them. Even though 
they are siblings, they are not very bonded, so if you already have 
a young kitten a home about their age, they do not have to be adopted 
to-gether. Submit our application on our website, www.lifelineforpets.
org for a meet & greet. They will come spayed/neutered, 
chipped, vaccinated, and more. See more pictures of them on our 
Very Young page. 


Pet of the Week 

It’s hard to tell what Penelope’s biggest feature is, herextra-long tongue, or her ginormous heart! Topping thescale at 85 pounds, this girl is extra-large all over!
Penelope is known for her constantly wagging tail. Shehappily greets her friends with enthusiastic wiggles andis always ready for a walk or a romp in the play yard. Herjoy is infectious and makes everyone smile!
Penelope feels strongly that good things come in bigpackages. Come meet this plus-sized love bug today!
The adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptionsinclude spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriatevaccines. 
New adopters will receive a complimentary 
health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal 
Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with 
information about how to care for your pet.

 View photos of adoptable pets and schedule an adoptionappointment at pasadenahumane.org. Adoptions are by 
appointment only, and new adoption appointments are 
available every Sunday and Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

 
Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phonecalls or email. 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 
Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com