Diary Of A Mad Black Woman The Play Free Download
Onofre Alamillo
Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman is an 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.
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.
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]
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.
I am an African-American man, and I've spent most of my life experiencing and fighting Racism. Racism in the mass media is particularly deadly and insidious. With that said, I must say that this current controversy over your review of this one film is ridiculous and encouraging at the same time.
It is absurd to accuse you or anyone of being "a racist," simply because you didn't like one film you considered to be flawed. The problems with the film that you've stated sound perfectly valid. And even as a Black man truly interested in Black and African history, I'm not convinced that you should have to have an intimate knowledge of our community in order to appreciate any Black film. You may get more inside jokes, but I wonder how much that should go toward determining whether you feel its a good film or not.
If you didn't like the movie, you didn't like the movie. How did your opinion harm the Black community? I didn't see you state your opinion in a way that disrespected our community or people. I don't get the impression your opinion harmed the box office receipts, since it took in around $22 Million last weekend.
It annoys and troubles me that SOME members of my community choose this situation to finally wake up and speak up about. The mass media spits in the faces of Black people every day, with racist news coverage... manipulative imagery in commercials... extremely negative and stereotypical lyrics in music... and both blatant and subtle racist images and messages in an endless stream of motion pictures and televisions programs. Yet NOW, masses of people decide to speak out, because they didn't like your review.
While this controversy is pathetic on one level, it does at least show that there's a segment of the Black population in Chicago that is willing to speak up about SOMETHING. Now we need those who complained to look within themselves, and learn a little more about Critical Thinking, so we can complain when someone actually DOES spit in our faces. It happens every day, and only the same handful of my fellow activists ever say a word. We need the defenders of Tyler Perry to pay more attention to the REAL media racism that gets heaped upon us every day, and do something about THAT.
I cannot believe you were called a racist for not liking "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" and its star, Madea. I am a 24-year-old black woman whom has never seen a Tyler Perry play because I am so not interested in watching a man parade around stage portraying some ghetto granny. Some may be amused by that type of humor but I find it simple-minded.
I guess I'm writing this letter to you because I get so embarrassed when some black people throw the term "racist" around so casually. Then we're looked at as a bunch of whiny brats who cry racism over the most petty things.
I can remember when you did a review of "Boyz N the Hood" years ago, giving it four stars, I believe. I can remember that so well because, as a naive teen, I was amazed that an older, white guy could appreciate and understand a lifestyle not his own. Ever since then, your reviews have been the only critiques I read. You don't need me to tell you this, but screw the haters who jumped you over Madea. I may be black, female and from the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, but I too cannot stand that character. Angela HobbsChicago, IL
I just wanted to educate you on the man Tyler Perry. Mr. Perry has been around for a long time. It's no one's fault that you feel like you can't have an open mind about different things such as Black plays and movies. Mr. Perry has written and directed many plays and all have been successful, including the new installment "Madea Goes to Jail" that will make millions. Mr. Perry teaches you about life in a way everybody can relate. So before you try to criticize all his hard work, why don't you try attending one of his plays. In case you don't know "Madea Goes to Jail" starts March 8th at the Arie Crown Theatre. If you're not scared of all us black folks.Stefanie Kellom Chicago, IL
I just wanted you know that your review confirmed what I had believed about the movie "Diary of a Mad Black Woman." I saw a preview of the movie a few weeks ago in downstate Illinois. The first thing that I thought while watching the preview was that the movie was going to be of questionable quality the minute the Madea character appeared on the screen I was thinking -- is this a comedy or a drama?
As a black female, I know that some people 'don't get it' -- when it comes to race. But 'you' are not one of those people and the review is not racist. It looked like a lousy movie with a lousy actor playing a Grandma in Drag. I said the same thing about "White Chicks."
Good black movies exist -- like "Monster's Ball" -- that some parts of the black population resisted due to angry feeling over the interracial storyline. I have friends to this day that still refuse to watch "The Color Purple" because Steven Spielberg was the director.
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