Laugh to Keep from Crying

Laugh to Keep from Crying is an 2009 American stage play created, produced, written and directed by Tyler Perry. The show first opened in the fall of 2009. The play is set at an inner-city building in a predominantly African-American neighborhood. It stars Cheryl Pepsii Riley as Carol, Palmer Williams Jr. as Floyd and Chandra Currelley-Young as Belinda. The live performance released on DVD (August 30, 2011) was recorded live in Atlanta at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on July 13 - 14, 2010.

Laugh to Keep from Crying
Written byTyler Perry
CharactersCarol, Belinda, Floyd, Niecy, Lisa, Tony, Anna, Peter, Jane, Donnie and Eddie
Date premieredOctober 6, 2009 (2009-10-06)
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy-Drama
SettingApartment complex
Tyler Perry Plays chronology
The Marriage Counselor Madea's Big Happy Family

Plot

The story revolves around a small group of people living in an inner-city building in a predominantly African-American neighborhood. Carol (Cheryl Pepsii Riley) is a single mother raising two teenagers: Tony (Donny Sykes), who is studious and participates in gospel choir; and Lisa (Tamar Davis), who is rebellious and refuses to attend church. She works long hours during the day, and is best friends with Belinda (Chandra Currelley-Young), their neighbor across the hall. Carol and Belinda disapprove of Niecey (D'Atra Hicks), their upstairs neighbor who is a prostitute. Peter (Wess Morgan) and Anna (Stephanie Ferrett) are a white couple who have moved into the building to save money while Peter attends law school. Anna's recently widowed mother, Jane (Rachel Richards) visits. Floyd (Palmer Williams Jr.) is the superintendent. Carol meets a police officer named Donnie (Anthony Dalton) then Niecy's pimp Eddie, (Celestin Cornielle) who is bad to everybody involved.

Shows
Scheduled shows
Date City Venue
October 6, 2009 Dayton Schuster Performing Arts Center
October 7, 2009 Columbus Veterans Memorial Auditorium
October 8, 2009 Salisbury Wicomico Youth and Civic Center
October 9, 2009 Hampton Hampton Coliseum
October 10, 2009 Hampton Hampton Coliseum
October 13, 2009 Washington, D.C. Warner Theatre
October 14, 2009 Washington, D.C. Warner Theatre
October 15, 2009 Washington, D.C. Warner Theatre
October 16, 2009 Washington, D.C. Warner Theatre
October 17, 2009 Washington, D.C. Warner Theatre
October 18, 2009 Washington, D.C. Warner Theatre
October 20, 2009 Aiken USC Aiken Convocation Center
October 22, 2009 Columbus Columbus Civic Center
October 24, 2009 Philadelphia Liacouras Center
October 25, 2009 Philadelphia Liacouras Center
October 30, 2009 Baltimore Morgan State University
October 31, 2009 Baltimore Morgan State University
November 1, 2009 Baltimore Morgan State University
November 7, 2009 Pittsburgh Petersen Events Center
November 8, 2009 Cincinnati Aronoff Center for the Arts
November 11, 2009 Peoria Peoria Civic Center
November 13, 2009 Milwaukee Milwaukee Theatre
November 14, 2009 Milwaukee Milwaukee Theatre
November 15, 2009 Louisville Louisville Palace
November 17, 2009 Grand Rapids DeVos Performance Hall
November 18, 2009 East Lansing Wharton Center for Performing Arts
November 20, 2009 Chicago Arie Crown Theater
November 24, 2009 Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
November 25, 2009 Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
November 26, 2009 Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
November 27, 2009 Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
November 28, 2009 Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
November 29, 2009 Detroit Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
January 10, 2010 Portland Veterans Memorial Coliseum
January 16, 2010 Oakland Paramount Theatre
January 17, 2010 Oakland Paramount Theatre
July 13, 2010 Atlanta Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
July 14, 2010 Atlanta Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Cast

The Band
  • Ronnie Garrett - Musical Director & Bass Guitar
  • Derek Scott - Guitar
  • Marcus Williams - Drums
  • Michael Burton - Saxophone & Keyboards
  • Natalie Ragins - Keyboards & Organ
  • Lindsay Fields - Background Vocals
  • Latayvia Cherry - Background Vocals
  • Jeffrey Lewis - Background Vocals
  • Zuri Craig - Background Vocals
  • Crystal "Chrissy" Collins - Background Vocals

Musical numbers

All songs written and/or produced by Tyler Perry and Elvin D. Ross.

  1. "Wake Up Everybody" – Company
  2. "We Can Work It Out" – Floyd & Niecy
  3. "You Gave Me Hope" – Peter
  4. "Lord, I Give It All to You" – Carol
  5. "Church Medley"
    1. "I Will Trust in the Lord" – Carol
    2. "We've Come This Far By Faith" – Tony
    3. "He Will Fix It" – Belinda & Niecy
  6. "I Better Get All My Rent" – Floyd
  7. "Laugh to Keep from Crying" – Belinda
  8. "Ooh Child" – Company
  9. "I Need Thee" – Tony
  10. "No More (I Wanna Be Redeemed)" – Niecy
  11. "I'm Sorry, So Sorry" – Lisa
  12. "Block Party Medley"
    1. "Shame" – Belinda
    2. "Square Biz" – Anna
    3. "Best of My Love" – Niecy
    4. "I'll Take You There" – Jane
    5. "Outstanding" – Peter
    6. "Ain't Nobody" – Carol
    7. "I Like" – Tony
  13. "I Want You Back" – Lisa
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