Madea's Big Happy Family is a 2010 American stage play created, produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry. It stars Tyler Perry as Mabel "Madea" Simmons and Cassi Davis as Aunt Bam. The play also marks the debut appearance of Aunt Bam played by Davis. Perry began writing the show after the death of his mother Willie Maxine Perry on December 8, 2009. The main character of Shirley is based on her. The live performance released on DVD on November 23, 2010 was recorded live in Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in July 2010. The play was performed 125 times in 126 days over the course of its 2010 tour.
Plot Shirley (Chandra Currelley-Young), accompanied by Aunt Bam (Cassi Davis), visits Dr. Frank Wallace (Omarr Dixon). Dr. Wallace tells Shirley that her cancer is active and she might have 4–6 weeks left. Later, Aunt Bam tells Shirley that she invited Madea to come over and help her when she tells her children the news. The scene later switches to the house where Joyce (Cheryl Pepsii Riley) shows up and informs Shirley that she called everybody, later Aunt Bam complains about the fact that she still doesn't have a man. Soon enough, Madea (Tyler Perry) arrives, ready to help Shirley.
When Tammy (Crissy Collins) shows up, Madea informs her that she's very angry with her and her husband Harold (Danny Clay): she gave them $275 to fix her car and it didn't start. Byron (Jeffery Lewis) and his girlfriend Rose (Chontelle Moore) arrive, and Aunt Bam tells Rose she wants her $20, which Rose borrowed about a year ago. Rose says it's petty to ask for such a small amount of money back, then reveals that she dropped $900 on eyeshadow and shoes. Madea convinces Aunt Bam to chase after Rose. Kimberly (Támar Davis) arrives demanding to know why her sisters summoned her to the house, but they don't know themselves. When Donnie (Zuri Craig) comes, he tries to kiss Aunt Bam and Madea, who warns him that she got H1N1 from his last kiss. When Madea quizzes him, he says he's 17 and in the 6th grade, to which she responds that at least he's in school and his children will know he's right down the hall from their classrooms. Harold arrives and Madea repeats what she told Tammy, and now that they're both here she tells them both that if her car isn't fixed when she's ready to leave, they'll have to run like hell. Kimberly's husband, Jason (Rico Ball) rushes in to announce that Uncle Monroe (Palmer Williams Jr.) has arrived; everyone hides their stuff because he's a crack cocaine-addicted kleptomaniac. Uncle Monroe has barely stepped inside when he thinks he smells drugs in the kitchen, which makes him hurry.
Karen (Brandi Milton) stalks in demanding to see Byron, which sparks Rose's jealousy. Karen threatens Byron that if he doesn't pay her some child support, 'the popo's gon' be knockin' at yo' do'!', backed up by Aunt Bam. Madea orders Karen to leave, they're having a family moment. Byron, Karen (and her baby), and Rose leave, Kimberly demands to know why she was called, and Jason chides her for her attitude, which angers her more and she storms out. When Harold points out how Kimberly's behavior is similar to Tammy's, Tammy tells him to shut up and he turns away in shame. Uncle Monroe calls a Man Meeting in the kitchen. He talks Harold into standing up for himself, but when Tammy comes in, he pretends the men are having a Bible study.
Madea notices Byron sagging and tells him to pull up his pants. Shirley looks upset and Donnie and Byron sing her a gospel song. Meanwhile, Donnie finds out from Aunt Bam that Kimberly is his real mother. Madea leaves the house and tries to start her car, but unfortunately for Tammy and Harold, her car wouldn't start. So she gets her gun and starts chasing after Harold and Tammy.
The next day, Shirley's cancer starts taking effect and she assures Joyce that she is all right and that she knows she's close to Heaven. Joyce thanks her for giving her the life they both wanted by Shirley giving her Jesus (You Gave Me Jesus) since Aunt Bam spills that Shirley is sick. That night, Joyce gets a new makeover for the date with Frank that Aunt Bam set up. Then Frank tells her that her mother is in the hospital. Then Shirley tells all her children that she wants them to do the right thing, although she will be gone forever. Shirley dies, and her spirit goes up to Heaven ("Heaven Waits for Me") and this makes everyone sad (as they strongly cry for her loss) and scared of what will happen in their futures without her (calling out to the Lord).
When everyone comes home from the funeral, they gather in the living room. Madea gives everyone advice on what they should do. Karen stops by to express her condolences to Byron, but soon they began to argue. Frustrated, Madea tells Karen to stop worrying about Byron and Rose, stop using her baby to make Byron's life miserable, and keep moving forward. Rose tells Byron it's time to go, but Madea snatches Byron's shirt, re-seating him. When Rose tells Madea she should let her "man" grow up and be a man, Madea uses Uncle Monroe's "Yah, trick!"-choke-move on her. She follows up by lecturing them that the elderly should be treated with respect and dignity, after all, they marched for their freedom. She finally lets them leave and moves on to Harold and Tammy: Tammy shouldn't talk to Harold so harshly, but Harold needs to toughen up. Then she talks to Joyce about how God works through people's prayers. Lastly, Madea reveals that Kimberly was raped by an uncle on her father's side at 12 years old. She then tells her that she has love and needs get past the pain and show it more. Kimberly goes upstairs with Jason and sincerely apologizes for all she's done ("You Are My Man").
Madea goes "off-script" to talk about things that are happening in "the world today." Later, Madea gathers everyone and they all join in singing old songs. Finally, upstairs, Harold asks Tammy to sit down and when she doesn't comply, he yells at her. Harold then resolves the issue between their relationship with a song ("If Only For One Night").
Tour dates +Winter / Spring 2010 Date City VenueJanuary 4, 2010El PasoUTEP Don Haskins CenterJanuary 5, 2010PhoenixDodge TheatreJanuary 6, 2010San DiegoSan Diego Sports ArenaJanuary 9, 2010SeattleKeyArenaJanuary 10, 2010PortlandVeterans Memorial ColiseumJanuary 12, 2010FresnoSelland ArenaJanuary 13, 2010SacramentoARCO ArenaJanuary 14, 2010OaklandParamount TheatreJanuary 15, 2010January 16, 2010January 19, 2010HollywoodKodak TheatreJanuary 20, 2010January 21, 2010January 22, 2010January 23, 2010January 24, 2010January 27, 2010New YorkThe Theater at Madison Square GardenJanuary 28, 2010January 29, 2010January 30, 2010January 31, 2010February 2, 2010FlorenceFlorence Civic CenterFebruary 3, 2010RaleighRBC CenterFebruary 4, 2010February 5, 2010February 6, 2010FayettevilleCrown ColiseumFebruary 7, 2010CharlotteBojangles ColiseumFebruary 9, 2010MaconMacon CentreplexFebruary 10, 2010CharlestonNorth Charleston ColiseumFebruary 11, 2010February 12, 2010ColumbiaColonial Life ArenaFebruary 13, 2010February 14, 2010ColumbusColumbus Civic CenterFebruary 16, 2010JacksonvilleJacksonville Veterans Memorial ArenaFebruary 17, 2010February 18, 2010ChattanoogaSoldiers and Sailors Memorial AuditoriumFebruary 19, 2010Winston-SalemLawrence Joel Veterans Memorial ColiseumFebruary 20, 2010February 21, 2010RichmondRichmond ColiseumFebruary 23, 2010AlbanyAlbany Civic CenterFebruary 24, 2010NashvilleNashville Municipal AuditoriumFebruary 25, 2010February 27, 2010MemphisOrpheum TheatreFebruary 28, 2010March 2, 2010ChicagoArie Crown TheaterMarch 3, 2010March 4, 2010March 5, 2010March 6, 2010March 9, 2010MinneapolisTarget CenterMarch 10, 2010OmahaQwest CenterMarch 11, 2010WichitaCentury II Performing Arts & Convention CenterMarch 12, 2010Grand PrairieNokia TheatreMarch 13, 2010March 14, 2010March 16, 2010MilwaukeeU.S. Cellular ArenaMarch 18, 2010BridgeportArena at Harbor YardMarch 19, 2010HartfordBushnell Center for the Performing ArtsMarch 20, 2010March 21, 2010March 24, 2010AugustaJames Brown ArenaMarch 25, 2010GreenvilleBi-Lo CenterMarch 26, 2010March 27, 2010BirminghamBJCC ArenaMarch 28, 2010MobileMobile Civic CenterApril 6, 2010DaytonErvin J. Nutter CenterApril 7, 2010CincinnatiApril 8, 2010LouisvilleFreedom HallApril 9, 2010ChicagoArie Crown TheaterApril 10, 2010April 11, 2010April 13, 2010SavannahSavannah Civic CenterApril 14, 2010April 15, 2010AtlantaThe Fabulous Fox TheatreApril 16, 2010April 17, 2010April 18, 2010April 20, 2010NorfolkConstant Convention CenterApril 21, 2010April 23, 2010St. LouisChaifetz ArenaApril 24, 2010April 25, 2010Kansas CitySprint CenterApril 27, 2010BuffaloHSBC ArenaApril 29, 2010PhiladelphiaLiacouras CenterApril 30, 2010May 1, 2010May 2, 2010May 4, 2010ColumbusNationwide ArenaMay 5, 2010ToledoLucas County ArenaMay 6, 2010DetroitFox TheatreMay 7, 2010May 8, 2010May 9, 2010
+DVD Taping - Summer 2010 Date City VenueJuly 16, 2010AtlantaCobb Energy Performing Arts CenterJuly 17, 2010
+Fall 2010 Date City VenueSeptember 15, 2010New OrleansNew Orleans ArenaSeptember 16, 2010September 17, 2010September 18, 2010HoustonToyota CenterSeptember 19, 2010September 21, 2010RoanokeBerglund CenterSeptember 23, 2010PittsburghPetersen Events CenterSeptember 24, 2010Washington, D.C.Verizon CenterSeptember 25, 2010September 26, 2010September 28, 2010PensacolaPensacola Civic CenterSeptember 29, 2010TallahasseeTallahassee-Leon County Civic CenterSeptember 30, 2010TampaUSF DomeOctober 1, 2010MiamiAmerican Airlines ArenaOctober 2, 2010October 3, 2010October 5, 2010SyracuseWar Memorial at OncenterOctober 6, 2010RochesterBlue Cross ArenaOctober 7, 2010BridgeportArena at Harbor YardOctober 8, 2010Baltimore1st Mariner ArenaOctober 9, 2010October 10, 2010October 12, 2010NewarkPrudential CenterOctober 13, 2010October 14, 2010UniondaleNassau ColiseumOctober 15, 2010New YorkThe Theater at Madison Square GardenOctober 16, 2010October 17, 2010 Cancellations and rescheduled shows Date City VenueOctober 19, 2010OrlandoAmway CenterOctober 20, 2010AugustaJames Brown ArenaOctober 21, 2010GreensboroGreensboro Coliseum ComplexOctober 22, 2010RichmondRichmond ColiseumOctober 23, 2010October 24, 2010NorfolkConstant Convocation CenterOctober 26, 2010SaginawDow Event CenterOctober 27, 2010DaytonNutter CenterOctober 28, 2010Grand RapidsVan Andel ArenaOctober 29, 2010PeoriaPeoria Civic CenterOctober 30, 2010MilwaukeeU.S. Cellular ArenaOctober 31, 2010IndianapolisConseco BridgehouseNovember 2, 2010Bossier CityCenturyTel CenterNovember 3, 2010AustinFrank Erwin CenterNovember 4, 2010Baton RougeBaton Rouge River CenterNovember 6, 2010MobileMobile Civic CenterNovember 7, 2010JacksonMississippi ColiseumNovember 9, 2010HuntsvilleVon Braun CenterNovember 10, 2010North Little RockVerizon ArenaNovember 11, 2010November 13, 2010SouthavenDeSoto Civic CenterNovember 14, 2010BirminghamBJJC ArenaNovember 16, 2010MolineiWireless CenterNovember 17, 2010Fort WayneAllen County War Memorial ColiseumNovember 18, 2010LouisvilleKFC Yum! CenterNovember 20, 2010DetroitJoe Louis ArenaNovember 21, 2010ClevelandQuicken Loans ArenaNovember 24, 2010TulsaBOK CenterNovember 26, 2010Oklahoma CityFord CenterNovember 27, 2010Grand PrairieVerizon TheatreNovember 28, 2010
Cast Tyler Perry as Madea Cassi Davis as Aunt Bam Chandra Currelley-Young as Shirley Cheryl Pepsii Riley as Joyce Támar Davis as Kimberly Jeffery Lewis as Byron Zuri Craig as Donnie Crissy Collins as Tammy Danny Clay as Harold Jones Rico Ball as Jason Chontelle Moore as Rose Brandi Milton as Karen Quan Hodges as Dr. Wallace Omarr Dixon as Dr. Wallace (FILMED VERSION) Palmer Williams Jr. as Monroe
The Band Ronnie Garrett - Musical Director & Bass Guitar Derek Scott - Guitars Marcus Williams - Drums Justin Gilbert - Keyboards & Organ Natalie Ragins - Keyboards Michael Burton - Saxophone Jeff Bradshaw - Trombone Melvin Jones - Trumpet Aaron Draper - Percussion