I Know I've Been Changed was the first successful play from playwright Tyler Perry. The play focuses on issues including child abuse and rape and how they can be overcome by a strong belief in God.
Soul musician Ryan Shaw got his start performing in this play in 1998. The play received its first staging in Atlanta in 1992.Britannica online article The play toured from 1998 to 2000.Play synopsis on Tyler Perry website
Grammy award winning vocalist Ann Nesby of the musical and instrumental group Sounds of Blackness played a supporting role in this play/production.
"I Know I've Been Changed" has been called one of the most successful shows of this genre, selling out repeatedly during its 1998-99 tour in major cities like D.C., New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Miami, just to name a few. After being sold out for three weeks in Dallas, an exhausted Perry decided to add a Monday night show.
Plot This hard-hitting play used comedy and drama to tell a story of two adult survivors of child abuse who became the people that their abusive mother said they would be. It is also the story of how they overcame, by the power of God, with a shocking twist at the end. Mary, the lead character, married and had two children before she had the opportunity to become an adult herself. Emotionally and spiritually irresponsible, she sought the succor of drugs to alleviate the pressure of rearing her children. This drug abuse manifests itself in verbal, emotional and physical abuse toward her children. She is unable to see the beauty of her own children, and, while addicted to drugs, is unable to alter the destructive path she has embarked upon. Compounding an already dysfunctional family situation, the husband is abusive to his wife and children as well, molesting his older son, which results in a dramatic plot twist later in the play. Fanny, is a mother divorcing her husband after becoming a famous singer. In a bold move to pursue her dreams she had to leave her daughter Ellen, to be raised by her husband, Joe.
1998/1999 Cast Tyler Perry as Joe Sheila Stroud as Mary Shirley Marie Graham (1998) Ann Nesby as Fanny LaShun Pace as Sister Lewis (Chandra Currelly Subs The Voice Of Sister Lewis In The Soundtrack) Jamecia Bennett as Ellen Saycon Sengbloh (1998) Latrice Pace as Millie Bernadette Grant Chandra Currelly (Subs Ms.Millie In The Soundtrack) Ryan Shaw as Sam Darnell Harris (1998) Carl Pertile as Mitch Jasmine Ross as Lequita Sylvia Cannon Quan Howell as Reverend Chandra Currelly as Emma
Shows +Scheduled showsDateCityVenueMarch 12, 1998AtlantaThe TabernacleMarch 13, 1998AtlantaThe TabernacleMarch 14, 1998AtlantaThe TabernacleMarch 15, 1998AtlantaThe TabernacleApril 27, 1998RochesterRochester Auditorium TheatreApril 28, 1998RochesterRochester Auditorium TheatreApril 29, 1998BuffaloKleinhans Music HallApril 30, 1998PittsburghBenedum CenterMay 6, 1998ColumbusPalace TheatreMay 12, 1998BaltimoreLyric Performing Arts CenterMay 13, 1998BaltimoreLyric Performing Arts CenterMay 14, 1998BaltimoreLyric Performing Arts CenterMay 15, 1998BaltimoreLyric Performing Arts CenterMay 16, 1998BaltimoreLyric Performing Arts CenterMay 17, 1998BaltimoreLyric Performing Arts CenterJune 21, 1998ManhattanBeacon TheatreOctober 2, 1998ChicagoAvalon Regal TheaterOctober 3, 1998ChicagoAvalon Regal TheaterOctober 4, 1998ChicagoAvalon Regal TheaterOctober 11, 1998OaklandParamount TheatreNovember 10, 1998DorchesterStrand TheatreJanuary 12, 1999MiamiOlympia TheaterJanuary 13, 1999MiamiOlympia TheaterJanuary 14, 1999MiamiOlympia TheaterJanuary 15, 1999MiamiOlympia TheaterJanuary 16, 1999MiamiOlympia TheaterJanuary 17, 1999MiamiOlympia TheaterJanuary 26, 1999DallasDallas Convention Center TheaterJanuary 27, 1999DallasDallas Convention Center TheaterJanuary 28, 1999DallasDallas Convention Center TheaterJanuary 29, 1999DallasDallas Convention Center TheaterJanuary 30, 1999DallasDallas Convention Center TheaterJanuary 31, 1999DallasDallas Convention Center TheaterFebruary 5, 1999MemphisOrpheum TheatreFebruary 6, 1999MemphisOrpheum TheatreFebruary 7, 1999MemphisOrpheum TheatreFebruary 25, 1999IndianapolisOld National CentreMarch 26, 1999MemphisOrpheum TheatreMarch 27, 1999MemphisOrpheum TheatreMarch 28, 1999MemphisOrpheum TheatreApril 22, 1999Kansas CityKansas City Music HallApril 23, 1999Kansas CityKansas City Music HallApril 24, 1999Kansas CityKansas City Music HallApril 25, 1999Kansas CityKansas City Music HallSeptember 28, 1999DetroitMusic Hall Center for the Performing ArtsSeptember 29, 1999DetroitMusic Hall Center for the Performing ArtsSeptember 30, 1999DetroitMusic Hall Center for the Performing ArtsOctober 1, 1999DetroitMusic Hall Center for the Performing ArtsOctober 2, 1999DetroitMusic Hall Center for the Performing ArtsOctober 3, 1999DetroitMusic Hall Center for the Performing ArtsNovember 18, 1999St. LouisFox TheatreNovember 19, 1999St. LouisFox TheatreNovember 20, 1999St. LouisFox TheatreNovember 21, 1999St. LouisFox Theatre +DateCityVenueMarch 30, 1999Washington, D.C.Warner TheatreMarch 31, 1999April 1, 1999April 2, 1999April 3, 1999April 4, 1999April 13, 1999AkronAkron Civic TheatreApril 14, 1999April 15, 1999CincinnatiTaft TheatreApril 16, 1999April 17, 1999April 18, 1999April 20, 1999TulsaBrady TheatreApril 21, 1999April 22, 1999Kansas CityKansas City Convention & Entertainment CenterApril 23, 1999April 24, 1999April 25, 1999April 27, 1999New York CityBeacon TheatreApril 28, 1999April 29, 1999April 30, 1999May 1, 1999May 2, 1999May 4, 1999May 5, 1999May 6, 1999May 7, 1999May 8, 1999May 9, 1999May 11, 1999AtlantaAtlanta Civic CenterMay 12, 1999May 13, 1999May 14, 1999May 15, 1999May 16, 1999May 18, 1999HoustonWortham Theater CenterMay 19, 1999May 20, 1999May 21, 1999May 22, 1999May 23, 1999May 25, 1999May 26, 1999May 27, 1999May 28, 1999May 29, 1999May 30, 1999
The Band
Elvin Ross - Musical Director/Keyboards John Forbes - Keyboards Mike Frazier - Bass Marcus Green - Drums
Musical Numbers All songs written and/or arranged by Tyler Perry and Elvin D. Ross.
"Overture" - Band "I Know I've Been Changed" - Mary "Just Because God Said It" or "Don't Be Discouraged" - Sister Lewis "More Than Just a Sin" - Ellen "I Should Have Been There" - Mary "If I Knew What To Do" - Mitch "I'm Still Wearing Your Name" - Fanny "Gotta Move Blues" - Joe "Old Time Mix" - Millie, Mary, Ellen "She's Gonna Live" - Ellen and Johnny
"He Will Take Away All Your Pain / I Know I've Been Changed" (Reprise) - Company
Trivia This is the debut play of Tyler Perry. In this play, Tyler Perry portrays Joe, a character still being portrayed by Perry in his movies (as the brother of fan-favorite character, Madea). While existing as one of Perry's first plays, it is one of the very least few that is not available on DVD. The show was later supposed to be taped in 2002, and then in 2003. The plans weren't followed through for unknown reasons. "More Than Just A Sin" would later be included as part of the filmed version of "Why Did I Get Married? in 2005. This arrangement of the "Old Time Mix" would later be reused in 2002's "Madea's Family Reunion. Chandra Currelly, Ms. Millie in the show, subs in for the voice of Sister Lewis on the play's soundtrack recording, performing the show original "Don't Be Discouraged" in place of LaShun's "Just Because God Said It."
References
External links Program: Tyler Perry's I Know I've Been Changed - UNT Digital Library