Diary of a Mad Black Woman | |||
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Written by | Tyler Perry | ||
Characters | Daddy Charles, Madea, Helen, Charles, Myrtle, Orlando, Willie, Brenda and Angelo | ||
Date premiered | January 16, 2001 | ||
Place premiered | New Orleans | ||
Original language | English | ||
Subject | Marriage | ||
Genre | Comedy-Drama | ||
Setting | Mansion | ||
Tyler Perry Plays chronology | |||
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Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman is a 2001 American stage play written, directed and produced by Tyler Perry. The production starred Tyler Perry as Daddy Charles & Madea and Marva King as Helen Simmons-McCarter. The live performance released on DVD and VHS was recorded live in Atlanta at the Atlanta Civic Center in May 2001.
Synopsis
[edit]Helen McCarter (King) is a loving wife to her successful millionaire husband and attorney, Charles McCarter (Blake). For twenty years, they have lived in a mansion on the inner part of the city. It appears that Helen is living the perfect life, but things are not as they seem, seeing as how Helen and Charles' marriage seems to be slowly falling apart. Charles' father, an elderly mail clerk by the name of Daddy Charles (Perry), talks to Helen, realizing that she is not as happy as she seems. He knows that Helen loves Charles, exclaiming to his son later in the play, "I dunno why she loves you, but she loves you to death." Helen also confides in her friend, Brenda (Robinson), an attorney who also works at Charles' firm, and her mother, Myrtle (Mann), who also thinks that Helen's marriage is still going well. Helen also reveals that Charles has also been abusing her physically after trying to cover up a bruise she received with a story claiming to have " hit herself in the eye with a cabinet door."
As their anniversary approaches, the McCarters continue to argue more and more. Finally, on the night of the anniversary, Charles admits to Helen that he has not been happy for quite sometime, and also tells her that he wants a divorce, revealing that he has been having an affair with another woman, who is Helen's friend Brenda. After humiliating Helen, Charles leaves her, telling her she can have the house and $2,000 a month.
The next day, Madea comes to visit Helen, trying to encourage her. However, when Brenda comes over, things start to escalate. When Brenda taunts Helen about the break-up, Helen grabs a gun in an attempt to "accidentally" kill Brenda. Myrtle arrives just in time to tell her daughter about Charles' car accident and keep her from killing Brenda. As Helen snatches the wig from the horrified Brenda, Madea attempts to shoot the mistress. Following this incident, Helen and Myrtle have a heated argument about the situation, leading Myrtle to almost wash her hands of her daughter. But, upon realizing that Helen really placed the blame on Charles, Brenda, and (lamentably) God, Myrtle turns back and urges her to direct her anger at the devil and reevaluate her faith in Christ.
Meanwhile, Helen receives a package from a delivery man named Orlando (Moore). Helen scolds him for what seems as though trying to flirt with her. Madea then recognizes Orlando in a magazine as a successful and wealthy business owner. Helen apologizes to Orlando, but Orlando blocks her advance, claiming that she is only doing so because she found out that he was rich. Helen finally tells him of her troubles and the two become friends. Brenda returns once more, this time bringing the paralyzed Charles to Helen, claiming that she cannot take care of him anymore and that she is not a care giver. Brenda then leaves quickly as Helen was trying to pull her wig off again, like she did when Myrtle told her about Charles, but not before being shot by Madea, who exclaims, "I got her, girl. Let me get the hell out!" Helen talks to Charles and laughs at the fact that he is now suffering. She leaves him sitting in the living room for days without feeding and bathing him. Charles begins to apologize and begs to just be left to die, but Helen refuses and tells him that she wants him to suffer for everything that he did to her. Later, Madea, who has been captured by the police later in the play for attempted murder, and Myrtle come over to tell Helen that Madea and Daddy Charles, who was sent to a home, had been working together and delivering letters from Charles job to Helen and make her see that she is now the acting owner of the company and quickly fires someone over the phone (probably Brenda), much to Myrtle's chagrin.
Over time, Helen begins a relationship with Orlando. And soon, Charles reveals that he is no longer paralyzed. Helen signs the divorce papers and prepares to leave with Orlando. As she is about to leave, she realizes that she is still in love with Charles, returns and makes Charles promise to never hurt her again, and the two begin anew.
Tour dates
[edit]Date | City | Venue |
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January 16, 2001 | New Orleans | Saenger Theatre |
January 17, 2001 | ||
January 18, 2001 | ||
January 19, 2001 | ||
January 20, 2001 | ||
January 21, 2001 | ||
January 23, 2001 | Washington, D.C. | Warner Theatre |
January 24, 2001 | ||
January 25, 2001 | ||
January 26, 2001 | ||
January 27, 2001 | ||
January 28, 2001 | ||
February 1, 2001 | Columbia | Township Auditorium |
February 2, 2001 | ||
February 3, 2001 | ||
February 4, 2001 | ||
February 8, 2001 | New Orleans | Saenger Theatre |
February 9, 2001 | ||
February 10, 2001 | ||
February 11, 2001 | ||
February 15, 2001 | Memphis | Orpheum Theatre |
February 16, 2001 | ||
February 17, 2001 | ||
February 18, 2001 | ||
February 20, 2001 | Chicago | New Regal Theater |
February 21, 2001 | ||
February 22, 2001 | ||
February 23, 2001 | ||
February 24, 2001 | ||
February 25, 2001 | ||
February 27, 2001 | ||
February 28, 2001 | ||
March 1, 2001 | ||
March 2, 2001 | ||
March 3, 2001 | ||
March 4, 2001 | ||
March 12, 2001 | Washington, D.C. | Warner Theatre |
March 13, 2001 | ||
March 14, 2001 | ||
March 15, 2001 | ||
March 16, 2001 | ||
March 17, 2001 | ||
March 18, 2001 | ||
March 22, 2001 | Indianapolis | Murat Theatre |
March 23, 2001 | ||
March 24, 2001 | ||
March 25, 2001 | ||
May 1, 2001 | Jacksonville | Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts |
May 2, 2001 | ||
May 3, 2001 | ||
May 4, 2001 | ||
May 5, 2001 | ||
May 6, 2001 | ||
May 8, 2001 | Atlanta | Atlanta Civic Center |
May 9, 2001 | ||
May 10, 2001 | ||
May 11, 2001 | ||
May 12, 2001 | ||
May 13, 2001 | ||
June 7, 2001 | Oakland | Paramount Theatre |
June 8, 2001 | ||
June 9, 2001 | ||
June 10, 2001 | ||
July 12, 2001 | Los Angeles | Wiltern Theatre |
July 13, 2001 | ||
July 14, 2001 | ||
July 15, 2001 | ||
July 24, 2001 | Washington, D.C. | Warner Theatre |
July 25, 2001 | ||
July 26, 2001 | ||
July 27, 2001 | ||
July 28, 2001 | ||
July 29, 2001 | ||
July 31, 2001 | Chicago | New Regal Theater |
August 1, 2001 | ||
August 2, 2001 | ||
August 3, 2001 | ||
August 4, 2001 | ||
August 5, 2001 | ||
September 4, 2001 | Detroit | Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts |
September 5, 2001 | ||
September 6, 2001 | ||
September 7, 2001 | ||
September 8, 2001 | ||
September 9, 2001 | ||
September 18, 2001 | Philadelphia | Merriam Theater |
September 19, 2001 | ||
September 20, 2001 | ||
September 21, 2001 | ||
September 22, 2001 | ||
September 23, 2001 | ||
October 23, 2001 | New York City | Beacon Theatre |
October 24, 2001 | ||
October 25, 2001 | ||
October 26, 2001 | ||
October 27, 2001 | ||
October 28, 2001 | ||
November 1, 2001 | Augusta | Bell Auditorium |
November 2, 2001 | ||
November 3, 2001 | ||
November 4, 2001 | ||
November 6, 2001 | Dallas | Bruton Theatre |
November 7, 2001 | ||
November 8, 2001 | ||
November 9, 2001 | ||
November 10, 2001 | ||
November 11, 2001 | ||
November 14, 2001 | Cleveland | Allen Theatre |
November 15, 2001 | ||
November 16, 2001 | ||
November 17, 2001 | ||
November 18, 2001 | ||
November 23, 2001 | Memphis | Orpheum Theatre |
November 24, 2001 | ||
November 25, 2001 | ||
November 27, 2001 | Baltimore | Lyric Opera House |
November 28, 2001 | ||
November 29, 2001 | ||
November 30, 2001 | ||
December 1, 2001 | ||
December 2, 2001 |
Cast
[edit]Filmed Cast
[edit]- Tyler Perry as Daddy Charles and Madea
- Marva King as Helen Simmons-McCarter
- Curtis Blake as Charles McCarter
- Shemar Moore as Orlando
- Tamela Mann as Myrtle Miller
- Tunja Robinson as Brenda
- Regina McCrary as Angelo
- Ty London as Willie
Live Tour Cast
[edit]- Tyler Perry as Daddy Charles and Madea
- Marva King as Helen Simmons-McCarter
- D'Atra Hicks (2001)
- Curtis Blake as Charles McCarter
- Dexter Hamlett as Orlando
- Samson Logan (2001)
- Regina Gibbs as Myrtle Miller
- Tamela Mann (2001)
- Tunja Robinson as Brenda
- Regina McCrary as Angelo
- Ty London as Willie
The Band
[edit]- Elvin Ross - Musical Director
- Mike Frazier - Bass
- Eric Morgan - Drums
- John Forbes - Keyboards
- Jim Gorst - Sound
- Davie Holmbo - Sound
Musical Numbers
[edit]All songs written and/or produced by Tyler Perry and Elvin D. Ross.
Act One
[edit]- "Overture" - Band
- "Dear Diary I" - Helen
- "Only Believe" - Myrtle
- "A Man's Gotta Do" - Charles
- "Getting Old Blues" - Willie, Angelo, and Daddy Charles
- "Dear Diary II" - Helen
- "Cold" - Helen
Act Two
[edit]- "Can't Turn Around" - Myrtle
- "Dear Diary III" - Helen
- "Ain't It Funny" - Helen
- "Dear Diary IV" - Helen
- "Father Can You Hear Me" - Helen, Charles, Myrtle, and Company
Trivia
[edit]- Kitra Williams-White understudied the role of Helen, and also sang her parts on the play's soundtrack.
- The character, Myrtle, was originally introduced offscreen in the previous play, I Can Do Bad All By Myself. She calls and prays for Madea while she is sick.
- D'Atra Hicks and Tamela Mann would replace Marva King and Regina Gibbs, respectively, as Helen and Myrtle early on in the show's run.
- Samson Logan would also assume the role of Orlando later on in the show's run.
- On certain nights, the show would end with Helen leaving Charles for good.
Controversy
[edit]In early 2008, playwright Donna West filed suit against Perry, contending that he stole material from her 1991 play, Fantasy of a Black Woman. Veronica Lewis, Perry's attorney, said there was no need for her client to appropriate the work of others.[1]
On December 9, 2008, the case was tried before Judge Leonard Davis in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The jury returned an 8–0 verdict in favor of Perry.[2]
Film adaptation
[edit]The stage play was adapted into a motion picture by Lions Gate Entertainment and BET Pictures, and opened on February 25, 2005. The film version of Diary of a Mad Black Woman stars Kimberly Elise, Steve Harris, Shemar Moore, Cicely Tyson and Tyler Perry. In the movie, Helen and Charles have been married for eighteen years, rather than twenty years as in the play.
References
[edit]- ^ "Actor Tyler Perry Found Not Guilty In Copyright Lawsuit". KSLA. Archived from the original on 2009-06-22. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
- ^ "Success in the Courtroom" (PDF). velaw.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-02. Retrieved 2022-08-15.