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'Tyler Perry' (born September 13, 1969 in Harvey, Louisiana) is an American playwright and actor. He is best known for producing popular melodramas for the stage and screen that feature African-American characters in moral quandaries. His best-known character is Mabel Simmons, more commonly known as "Madea" an overbearing if well-intentioned woman who serves both as comic relief and as the loud voice of conscience to the principal protagonists of these morality plays.
Perry was one of four children. His childhood in New Orleans was marked by poverty and physical abuse. He was once homeless and lived in his car for three months[1].
After years of intense anger and deep resentment, Perry experienced an awakening. One day while he was watching ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' in 1992, he took the advice that it can be cathartic to put feelings down on paper, which inspired him to write letters of his painful childhood. These letters eventually became his plays.
When Perry's work failed at the box office, he was left penniless. Perry is now said to have found that because he had allowed so much anger from his turbulent past to build inside of him, he always found a way to self-sabotage his ventures.
Perry eventually confronted his abusers and took responsibility for his previous failures. His perception of his own writing changed, and he came to terms with his past.
Perry's first foray into writing was in 1992, when he began writing a journal, in part to cope with the repercussions of abuse. He was inspired to begin a journal after watching ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''.
He developed different characters to voice different ideas in the journal. This work eventually became the musical ''I Know I've Been Changed'', about adult survivors of child abuse.
Perry saved $6,000, moved to Atlanta in 1992, and tried to stage the play. It was not a success and over the next eight years, he struggled living in Atlanta but he persevered until the play finally had a successful run in 1998, first at the House of Blues and later at the Fox Theatre.
His following play, a staging of Bishop T. D. Jakes' book ''Woman Thou Art Loosed'', was an immediate hit, grossing over $5 million in five months. [1] A film version was later created starring Kimberly Elise and Loretta Devine, was released in theaters on October 4, 2004.
Perry, whose work is aimed at a primarily African-American audience, ultimately created a successful touring theater company. Recordings of some plays were subsequently sold on video and DVD. As of March 2005, Perry's plays had grossed over $75 million in ticket and DVD sales.
Perry stated in a January 2004 interview in ''Ebony'' magazine that his theater productions were designed to be a bridge between the traditional urban theater circuit - historically and pejoratively referred to as the "chitlin' circuit" - and a more traditional theater format. [2]
Perry's other highly successful plays include ''Diary of a Mad Black Woman'', ''I Can Do Bad All By Myself'', ''Madea's Family Reunion'' and ''Madea's Class Reunion''. He also wrote and created the hit plays ''Why Did I Get Married?'' featuring R&B singer Kelly Price and later the DVD version featured Cheryl Pepsii Riley and ''Meet the Browns'' (Perry did not appear in either production). In 2005, Perry returned to the stage with another successful hit, ''Madea Goes to Jail''.
Another play, ''What's Done in the Dark'', which Perry wrote and directed but does not appear in, went on tour beginning in September 2006. The tour of the play ended May 13, 2007 but will return for another run in September. The video was filmed in Charlotte, NC and will be released in December.
main article - Tyler Perry Films
His first movie, ''Diary of a Mad Black Woman'', produced on a budget of $5.5 million, became an unexpected hit, prompting widespread discussion among industry watchers about whether middle-class African Americans were simply not being addressed by mainstream Hollywood movies. Its final gross box office receipts were $50.6 million.[3]
On opening weekend, February 24, 2006 Perry's film version of ''Madea's Family Reunion'' opened at number one with $22 million and a $14,770 per screen average. The film eventually grossed $65 million, and like ''Diary'', almost all of it in the United States.
[4]
His next project for Lions Gate Entertainment, ''Daddy's Little Girls'', starring Gabrielle Union, was released in the U.S. on February 14, 2007. As of February 20, it had grossed just shy of $25.1 million, making it the fifth highest grossing film of the Presidents' Day weekend.[5].
Perry is writing, directing, producing, and starring in his next movie, ''Why Did I Get Married'', which is set to release on October 12, 2007. It is loosely based on the play. Filming was set to begin March 5, 2007 in Whistler, British Columbia; Vancouver; and then Atlanta, where Perry recently opened his own studio. It is currently being edited. Janet Jackson, Sharon Leal (Dreamgirls), and Jill Scott have joined the cast.
His next movie will be an adaptation of his play Meet the Browns.
Tyler Perry produced a television show titled ''Tyler Perry's House of Payne'', which follows a working-class, African-American household with three generations of family within it. The show seeks to illustrate struggles with faith and love, as well as showing how to coexist with the generation gap.
The show ran briefly in Spring 2006, and has been resyndicated by TBS for 2007.On June 6, 2007, Tyler Perry's first two episodes of House of Payne ran on TBS.
Perry's first novel, ''Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life'', hit bookstores last April 11, 2006. The book is written from Madea's point of view, and offers commentary about love, relationships, and family. In its first five days in stores, the book sold more than 25,000 copies. [6] The hardcover hit Number One on the New York Times Best Seller list and stayed on the list for twelve weeks. It was voted the Book of the Year and Best Humor Book at the 2006 Quill Awards.
★ He always places a possessive reference to himself in all of his work's titles (e.g., ''Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?'')
Several recurring narrative themes surface in Perry's work.
★ Features a predominantly African American cast. Thus Perry is able to comfortably portray blacks as both strong antagonists and strong protagonists and skirt around racial sensitivities that would occur in mainstream movies.
★ In nearly all of his plays and films, the male antagonist is always wealthy, while the lead male hero is usually of modest means. In several of the works, the female protagonist is torn between the "good guy" and the "bad guy".
★ He also shares with his viewers the theme of forgiveness. "While you're losing sleep being mad at them... they are sleeping peacefully". Tyler continues to share his Christian beliefs with audience members and fans.
★ His films often tackle issues of physical and sexual abuse.
★ His films are often based in Atlanta.
★ The recurring character of Mabel "Madea" Simmons, referred to as "Madea", surfaces in many of Perry's work. Perry portrays Madea in his plays and films. Perry based Madea on an aunt who lives in Georgia, as well as his mother, according to Perry himself. In Madea's appearances, she dispenses wisdom in a "no-nonsense manner", and is usually involved in physical comedy and/or a sight gag. The nickname "Madea" comes from a Southern African American contraction of the words "mother dear", which is commonly used as a term of affection. It is also used as a reference to a great-grandmother.
★ Tyler often references Alice Walker's ''The Color Purple'', which he notes as one of his favorite movies.
★ Some Tyler Perry plays also make references to 1970s R&B and soul music, and the differences between that and the current state of rap/hip-hop, and other music popular amongst the Black community.
see main article - Tyler Perry Films
★ Madea Goes to Jail the movie (2008) (according to website)
★ Meet the Browns the movie (2008) (according to website)
★ Why Did I Get Married? the movie (2007)
★ Daddy's Little Girls (2007) aka Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls (USA: complete title)
★ Madea Goes to Jail (2006) (V)
★ Why Did I Get Married? (2006) (V)
★ Madea's Family Reunion (2006)
★ House of Payne (2006) TV Series (unknown episodes) aka Tyler Perry's House of Payne (USA: complete title)
★ Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)
★ Meet the Browns (2004) (V)
★ Madea's Class Reunion (2003) (V)
★ I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2002) (V)
★ Madea's Family Reunion (2002) (V)
★ Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2002) (V)
★ Official website
★ Interview with Tyler Perry on beliefnet.com
| Contents |
| Early life |
| Career |
| Theatre |
| Films |
| Television |
| Books |
| Trademarks |
| Selected filmography |
| External links |
Early life
Perry was one of four children. His childhood in New Orleans was marked by poverty and physical abuse. He was once homeless and lived in his car for three months[1].
After years of intense anger and deep resentment, Perry experienced an awakening. One day while he was watching ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' in 1992, he took the advice that it can be cathartic to put feelings down on paper, which inspired him to write letters of his painful childhood. These letters eventually became his plays.
When Perry's work failed at the box office, he was left penniless. Perry is now said to have found that because he had allowed so much anger from his turbulent past to build inside of him, he always found a way to self-sabotage his ventures.
Perry eventually confronted his abusers and took responsibility for his previous failures. His perception of his own writing changed, and he came to terms with his past.
Career
Theatre
Perry's first foray into writing was in 1992, when he began writing a journal, in part to cope with the repercussions of abuse. He was inspired to begin a journal after watching ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''.
He developed different characters to voice different ideas in the journal. This work eventually became the musical ''I Know I've Been Changed'', about adult survivors of child abuse.
Perry saved $6,000, moved to Atlanta in 1992, and tried to stage the play. It was not a success and over the next eight years, he struggled living in Atlanta but he persevered until the play finally had a successful run in 1998, first at the House of Blues and later at the Fox Theatre.
His following play, a staging of Bishop T. D. Jakes' book ''Woman Thou Art Loosed'', was an immediate hit, grossing over $5 million in five months. [1] A film version was later created starring Kimberly Elise and Loretta Devine, was released in theaters on October 4, 2004.
Perry, whose work is aimed at a primarily African-American audience, ultimately created a successful touring theater company. Recordings of some plays were subsequently sold on video and DVD. As of March 2005, Perry's plays had grossed over $75 million in ticket and DVD sales.
Cover of ''Madea's Class Reunion''.
Perry stated in a January 2004 interview in ''Ebony'' magazine that his theater productions were designed to be a bridge between the traditional urban theater circuit - historically and pejoratively referred to as the "chitlin' circuit" - and a more traditional theater format. [2]
Perry's other highly successful plays include ''Diary of a Mad Black Woman'', ''I Can Do Bad All By Myself'', ''Madea's Family Reunion'' and ''Madea's Class Reunion''. He also wrote and created the hit plays ''Why Did I Get Married?'' featuring R&B singer Kelly Price and later the DVD version featured Cheryl Pepsii Riley and ''Meet the Browns'' (Perry did not appear in either production). In 2005, Perry returned to the stage with another successful hit, ''Madea Goes to Jail''.
Another play, ''What's Done in the Dark'', which Perry wrote and directed but does not appear in, went on tour beginning in September 2006. The tour of the play ended May 13, 2007 but will return for another run in September. The video was filmed in Charlotte, NC and will be released in December.
Films
main article - Tyler Perry Films
His first movie, ''Diary of a Mad Black Woman'', produced on a budget of $5.5 million, became an unexpected hit, prompting widespread discussion among industry watchers about whether middle-class African Americans were simply not being addressed by mainstream Hollywood movies. Its final gross box office receipts were $50.6 million.[3]
On opening weekend, February 24, 2006 Perry's film version of ''Madea's Family Reunion'' opened at number one with $22 million and a $14,770 per screen average. The film eventually grossed $65 million, and like ''Diary'', almost all of it in the United States.
[4]
His next project for Lions Gate Entertainment, ''Daddy's Little Girls'', starring Gabrielle Union, was released in the U.S. on February 14, 2007. As of February 20, it had grossed just shy of $25.1 million, making it the fifth highest grossing film of the Presidents' Day weekend.[5].
Perry is writing, directing, producing, and starring in his next movie, ''Why Did I Get Married'', which is set to release on October 12, 2007. It is loosely based on the play. Filming was set to begin March 5, 2007 in Whistler, British Columbia; Vancouver; and then Atlanta, where Perry recently opened his own studio. It is currently being edited. Janet Jackson, Sharon Leal (Dreamgirls), and Jill Scott have joined the cast.
His next movie will be an adaptation of his play Meet the Browns.
Television
Tyler Perry produced a television show titled ''Tyler Perry's House of Payne'', which follows a working-class, African-American household with three generations of family within it. The show seeks to illustrate struggles with faith and love, as well as showing how to coexist with the generation gap.
The show ran briefly in Spring 2006, and has been resyndicated by TBS for 2007.On June 6, 2007, Tyler Perry's first two episodes of House of Payne ran on TBS.
Books
Perry's first novel, ''Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life'', hit bookstores last April 11, 2006. The book is written from Madea's point of view, and offers commentary about love, relationships, and family. In its first five days in stores, the book sold more than 25,000 copies. [6] The hardcover hit Number One on the New York Times Best Seller list and stayed on the list for twelve weeks. It was voted the Book of the Year and Best Humor Book at the 2006 Quill Awards.
Trademarks
★ He always places a possessive reference to himself in all of his work's titles (e.g., ''Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?'')
Several recurring narrative themes surface in Perry's work.
★ Features a predominantly African American cast. Thus Perry is able to comfortably portray blacks as both strong antagonists and strong protagonists and skirt around racial sensitivities that would occur in mainstream movies.
★ In nearly all of his plays and films, the male antagonist is always wealthy, while the lead male hero is usually of modest means. In several of the works, the female protagonist is torn between the "good guy" and the "bad guy".
★ He also shares with his viewers the theme of forgiveness. "While you're losing sleep being mad at them... they are sleeping peacefully". Tyler continues to share his Christian beliefs with audience members and fans.
★ His films often tackle issues of physical and sexual abuse.
★ His films are often based in Atlanta.
★ The recurring character of Mabel "Madea" Simmons, referred to as "Madea", surfaces in many of Perry's work. Perry portrays Madea in his plays and films. Perry based Madea on an aunt who lives in Georgia, as well as his mother, according to Perry himself. In Madea's appearances, she dispenses wisdom in a "no-nonsense manner", and is usually involved in physical comedy and/or a sight gag. The nickname "Madea" comes from a Southern African American contraction of the words "mother dear", which is commonly used as a term of affection. It is also used as a reference to a great-grandmother.
★ Tyler often references Alice Walker's ''The Color Purple'', which he notes as one of his favorite movies.
★ Some Tyler Perry plays also make references to 1970s R&B and soul music, and the differences between that and the current state of rap/hip-hop, and other music popular amongst the Black community.
Selected filmography
see main article - Tyler Perry Films
★ Madea Goes to Jail the movie (2008) (according to website)
★ Meet the Browns the movie (2008) (according to website)
★ Why Did I Get Married? the movie (2007)
★ Daddy's Little Girls (2007) aka Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls (USA: complete title)
★ Madea Goes to Jail (2006) (V)
★ Why Did I Get Married? (2006) (V)
★ Madea's Family Reunion (2006)
★ House of Payne (2006) TV Series (unknown episodes) aka Tyler Perry's House of Payne (USA: complete title)
★ Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)
★ Meet the Browns (2004) (V)
★ Madea's Class Reunion (2003) (V)
★ I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2002) (V)
★ Madea's Family Reunion (2002) (V)
★ Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2002) (V)
External links
★ Official website
★ Interview with Tyler Perry on beliefnet.com
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