BILL VAUGHAN’S TASTY CLIPS: Historic ‘Fire Shut Up In My Bones’ comes to theaters 

By Bill Vaughan

Entertainment Writer

“Fire Shut Up In My Bones,” the first opera by a Black composer to be staged at New York’s famed Metropolitan Opera in its 138-year history, is screening in theaters nationwide via Fathom Events Oct. 23 and Oct. 27.    

Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Grammy Award–winning jazz musician and composer Terence Blanchard’s adaptation of journalist and commentator Charles M. Blow’s memoir, which the New York Times praised after its 2019 world premiere at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as “bold and affecting” and “subtly powerful.”

Featuring a libretto by filmmaker Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou,” “Harriet”) the opera tells a poignant and profound story about a young man’s journey to overcome a life of trauma and hardship.

James Robinson and Camille A. Brown — two of the creators of the Met’s sensational recent production of “Porgy and Bess” — co-direct this new staging; Brown, who is also the production’s choreographer, becomes the first Black director to create a mainstage Met production.

Baritone Will Liverman, one of opera’s most exciting young artists, stars as Charles, alongside sensational soprano Angel Blue as Destiny/Loneliness/Greta, soprano Latonia Moore as Billie, and Walter Russell III as Char’es-Baby.

It will play locally at AMC Century City 15 and Cinemark 18 and XD.  Visit www.fathomevents.com for tickets and locations.

ON THE WINGS OF LOVE: Lifetime has partnered with national arts organization the Art of Elysium and artist Colette Miller for a seven-city interactive installation of Colette’s Global Angel Wings Project in celebration of the premiere of Lifetime’s new “Highway to Heaven” movie.

Initially created as interactive street art in Los Angeles 2012, the life-sized angel wings were painted throughout the city to remind humanity that we are the Angels of this Earth, much like Angela (Jill Scott) in the movie who is an angel sent to help those in need.

Miller has created seven new angel wing designs, and for the first time, they will be printed on oversized vinyl decals and installed in seven cities throughout the country including L.A. at FIGat7th through Nov. 9.

Additionally, Lifetime is donating $25,000 to The Art of Elysium to further their work supporting artists like Miller.   

The contemporary take on Michael Landon’s iconic 80s television series debuts on Nov. 6 at 8 p.m.

SALUTE: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong All Stars, comprised largely of top-of-the-line Crescent City musicians, along with rap star Common, Wynton Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Wycliffe Gordon, Reginald Veal and other jazz luminaries add their talents to Verve’s new tribute album, “A Gift To Pops.”

Armstrong himself performs in two previously unreleased songs for the album featuring precious liner notes by impresario George Wein.

In addition, three custom-curated glass What A Wonderful World ornaments are now available by The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization founded in 1969 to perpetuate the legacies of Louis and Lucille Armstrong throughout the world by supporting musicians, jazz education, performances and programming.

For more information, visit www.louisarmstrongfoundation.org.

TASTY QUIP: “[Harry Styles] doesn’t care, he’s just doing it because it’s the thing to do. This is politics for me. This is my life. I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned now. All he has to do is be white and straight.” – BILLY PORTER on the pop singer being featured on Vogue’s cover in a dress to the Sunday Times

CLIPPETTES: Mike Epps’ In Real Life Comedy Tour featuring Karlous Miller, Desi Banks and DC Young Fly hits the Microsoft Theater on Oct. 22; as DJs Louie Vega + Marques Wyatt spin at Sound Nightclub, and as The Soraya presents An Evening with Branford Marsalis …

Oct. 23, Roses From The Concrete, a free community event with performances by Aloe Blacc, Maya Jupiter and more, is happening from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Bristol Street in Santa Ana. The gathering calls for #justice4brandonlopez, a 34-year-old who was killed by Anaheim Police while having a mental health crisis. The families of Rodney King and George Floyd will be in attendance

Later that evening, Audacy hosts its eighth annual “We Can Survive” concert at the Hollywood Bowl with Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Doja Cat, Maroon 5, Shawn Mendes, The Kid LAROI and more, celebrating the power of music to bring people together, strengthening mental health, in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For more info, visit WeCanSurvive.com

Meanwhile, Moneybagg Yo, Fredo Bang, Big30, Big Home G, Blacc Zacc and Tripstar are the bill at The Novo

Experience a livestream of John Legend’s Bigger Love Tour from home Oct. 24. Before the show, Legend will participate in an exclusive and intimate live VIP event as he talks through his LVE Wine collection and performs solo piano. Get your tickets at boxoffice.mandolin.com

Reggae giant King Yellowman & The Sagittarius Band are in concert Oct. 27 at Echoplex.

TC ON TV: Oct. 22 – “Maya And the Three” (Netflix): An impressive all-star cast including Queen Latifah, Zoe Saldaña, Cheech Marin, Rita Moreno, Rosie Perez, Danny Trejo, Gabriel Iglesias, Gael García Bernal, Alfred Molina, Allen Maldonado, Diego Luna and Wyclef Jean lend voice to this animated series about a Mesoamerican warrior princess’ quest. “Locke & Key” (Netflix): This engaging fantasy drama, with Steven Williams and Sherri Saum in the cast, raises the stakes in season two. “Friday Night Vibes” (TBS): “Black Panther” and “Thor 3: Ragnarok” are the flicks; Blair Underwood and Brandi Rhodes, the guests.

Oct. 23 – “Switched Before Birth” (Lifetime): Justina Machado (“One Day At A Time”) is featured in this IVF drama pitting friends against each other. “The Hotline” (BET Her): “Her Lyfeline” directed by Caralene Robinson (“Disordher”) features Kari Hilson and Raheem DeVaughn. “Ricky Velex: Here’s Everything” (HBO): The comedian and actor (“The King of Staten Island”) bares it all in his first hour-long comedy special executive produced by Judd Apatow and Pete Davidson.

Oct. 24 – “Uncensored” (TV1): Jeezy  “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (HBO): Let us be thankful for an 11th season of Larry David, JB Smoove‘s Leon and the gang.

Oct. 25 – “All American” (CW): The great Michael Schultz (“Cooley High,” “Car Wash,” “The Last Dragon” and so much more) directs the fourth season opener. “Yes We Did: The Vital Voices of 2021” (OWN): NowThis NEXT presents a celebration of the next generation of global change makers, together with Vital Voices. Featuring Oprah Winfrey, Amanda Gorman, Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, Eva Longoria, Xiye Bastida and more. “4400” (CW): A reboot of the USA TV sci-fi drama that launched the career of Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali.  The premise follows the return of over four thousand vanished people throughout the last century unaged and with no memory of what happened.

Oct. 26 – “Nick Cannon Presents: Wild ‘N Out” (VH1): Big Freedia “The Last O.G.” (TBS): The fourth season of the Brooklyn-centric series starring Tracy Morgan and co-created by Academy Award winner Jordan Peele begins with back-to-back episodes. Guest stars this season include Janet Hubert (“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”), Malik Yoba (“First Wives Club”), Wood Harris (“The Wire”) and Gary Dourdan (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”).  “Queens” (ABC): Tim Story (“Barbershop,” “Think Like A Man”) directs.

Oct. 27 – “Hypnotic” (Netflix): A new psychological thriller starring Dulé Hill (“The Wonder Years”), Kate Siegel and Jason O’Mara. “Ellen” (Syn): Lester Holt  “The Canvas: Los Angeles” (Fuse): Mixed-media artist Ernesto Yerena’s craft reflects his observations of the views and interactions between the Mexican communities living on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Oct. 28 – “Horror Noire” (Shudder): This follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2019 documentary “Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror” weaves chilling stories from Black directors and screenwriters including Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes, Victor LaValle, Shernold Edwards, Al Letson and Ezra C. Daniels.  Luke James (“The Chi”), Erica Ash (“Survivor’s Remorse”), Sean Patrick Thomas (“Macbeth”), Malcolm Barrett (“Genius: Aretha Franklin”), Tony Todd (“Candyman”), and Rachel True (“The Craft”), among others comprise the cast. “Selena + Chef” (HBO Max): Aarón Sánchez, Ayesha Curry, Esther Choi, Fabio Viviani, Jamie Oliver, Kwame Onwuachi, Padma Lakshmi and Richard Blais are among this season’s culinary stars raising money for their charities by sharing dishes with Selena Gomez.   

TASTY QUIP: “I always say if you see an ‘Insecure’ movie, it means I’m down bad. I don’t want to do a movie at all. I told a story in this medium. It’s a finite story. I am confident that I love this story that we told and I’m proud of every part of the show. So, I’ll leave it at that.” – ISSA RAE to Tamron Hall on her hit HBO series’ final season premiering Oct. 24

As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving nearly one million weekly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at tastyclips@yahoo.com, via Twitter @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.