This is about the stage play. For its film adaptation, see Diary of a Mad Black Woman.

Diary of a Mad Black Woman is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 stage play written and directed by Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...

, which opened in the spring of 2001. It features music by Tyler Perry and Elvin D. Ross. The production starred Marva King, Tamela Mann

Tamela Mann

Tamela J. Mann is an American actress and gospel singer, known for her role as Cora in Tyler Perry's plays, including I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Madea's Family Reunion, Madea's Class Reunion, Meet the Browns, and What's Done in the Dark...

 and Tyler Perry.

Synopsis

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.

Helen's grandmother, Mable " Madea" Simmons (Perry), comes to her granddaughter's rescue, giving Helen advice on ways that she can resolve the issue, including murdering Charles. Brenda returns and tells Helen that she " loves Charles very, very much" angering Helen, to the point of holding Brenda at gunpoint. Helen's mother Myrtle shows up and informs Helen that Charles has been paralyzed in an accident, even though Helen does not seem to care. Helen and Myrtle argue for a minute but reconcile shortly afterward.

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 from there on out. Brenda returns once more, this time bringing the paralyzed Charles to Helen, claiming that she can't take care of him anymore and that she's not a care giver. Brenda then leaves quickly as Helen was trying to pull her wig off, 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 Daddy Charles, who was sent to a home, work together and deliver 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 (possibly Brenda).

Over time, Helen begins a relationship with Orlando. And soon, Charles reveals that he isn't paralyzed and that he was only temporarily paralyzed. Helen signs the divorce papers and prepares to leave with Orlando. But then, realizing that she is still in love with Charles, returns and makes Charles promise to never hurt her again, and the two begin anew.

Cast

• Marva King - Helen McCarter
• Curtis Blake - Charles McCarter
• Tamela Mann - Myrtle Simmons
• Tyler Perry - Daddy Charles and Madea
• Cordell Moore - Orlando
• Tunja Robinson - Brenda
• Ty London - Willie
• Regina McCrary - Angelo

Musical numbers

• "Only Believe"-Performed by Tamela Mann
• "A Man Got To Do What A Man Got To Do"-Performed by Curtis Blake
• "The Blues"-Performed by Ty London and Regina Mcgrary
• "Cold"-Performed by Marva King
• "Turn it Around-Performed by Tamela Mann
• "Ain't it Funny"-Performed by Marva King
• "Father Can You Hear Me"-Performed by Marva King, Curtis Blake, and Tamela Mann

Movie Connections

The stage play was adapted into a motion picture by Lions Gate Entertainment and BET Pictures, and opened on February 25, 2005. The feature film version stars Kimberly Elise

Kimberly Elise

Kimberly Elise is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her role in the films Set It Off, Beloved, John Q, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, and For Colored Girls...

, Steve Harris

Steve Harris (actor)

Steve Harris is an American actor who has appeared in a number of films including; Quarantine, Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Bringing Down The House, The Rock, The Mod Squad, and Minority Report. He is most famous for his role as Eugene Young on the legal drama The Practice...

, Shemar Moore

Shemar Moore

Shemar Franklin Moore is an American actor and former male fashion model. His most notable roles are that of Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless from 1994 to 2005, Derek Morgan on CBS's Criminal Minds, and as the third permanent host of Soul Train from 1999 to 2003.-Early life:Moore was...

, Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson

Cicely Tyson is an American actress. A successful stage actress, Tyson is also known for her Oscar-nominated role in the film Sounder and the television movies The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Roots....

, and Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry

Tyler Perry is an American actor, director, playwright, entrepreneur, screenwriter, producer, author, and songwriter. Perry wrote and produced many stage plays during the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2005, he released his first film, Diary of a Mad Black Woman...

.