Madea Big Happy Family stage play cast includes Tyler Perry, Cassi Davis, Chandra Currelley-Young, Tamar Davis, Cheryl Pepsii, Riley, and more.

Perry portrayed Madea, whereas Chandra played the main character Shirley.

The stage play follows a dysfunctional family that gets united after the matriarch is diagnosed with a fatal illness. Shirley is told by Dr. Frank Wallace that her cancer has returned and she only has a few weeks to live. As she prepares to communicate the news of her cancer to her children, she is helped by Aunt Bam and Madea.

The play premiered on January 4, 2010, at the UTEP Don Haskins Center. Later, a live performance was recorded in Atlanta and became available for purchase on DVD in November 2010.

Here are the major cast and characters of the popular Tyler Perry drama.

Tyler Perry As Madea

Actor Tyler Perry played the titular character of Madea in the stage play and the subsequent movies. Madea is an elderly African-American woman.

Madea is described as a street-smart woman with a history of crime. She has a couple of felony charges, including illegal gambling, check fraud, insurance fraud, assault, road rage, and more.

Born on June 26, 1935, Madea was raised in poverty. She becomes a teenage mother was giving birth to her first daughter Michelle with her first husband Johnny.  She also has a son named William with Johnny and a second daughter named Cora from a one-night partner.

The character of Madea was inspired by Tyler's mother Willie Maxine Perry and his aunt Jerry. Tyler created the character after his mother's demise in 2009.

According to Perry, Madea was the PG version of his mom and aunt. He created the character to pay homage to two of the most important women in his life.

Chandra Currelley-Young As Shirley

Actress Chandra Currelly-Young portrayed the character of Shirley in the American stage play Madea Big Happy Family. Shirley has been battling cancer for the last seven years and is told by her doctor that she only has a few weeks left.

Shirley is one of the favorite nieces of Madea. She is initially believed to be a mother to four children: Tammy, Joyce, Byron, and Kimberly. However, it later turns out that Byron is actually Kimberly's son whom Shirley helped raise.

Shirley succumbs to her illness and passes away. She is 58 years old at the time of her demise.

Cassi Davis As Aunt Bam

Aunt Bam, also known as Betty Ann Murphy, is the first cousin of Madea. The character was played by American actress Cassi Davis in the stage play.

Aunt Bam is married to Uncle Pete and has three children. She has two daughters named Mary and Cherry along with an unnamed son.

Bam is also the aunt of Shirley. She is described to be a woman with a reckless and promiscuous personality. She is an aunt-like figure to several other characters, earning her the nickname Aunt Bam.

Madea Big Happy Family Byron Baby Mama Played By Tamar Davis

M adea Big Happy Family Byron baby mama Kimberly is the daughter of Shirley. Kimberly works as a successful realtor and is in her early thirties.

Kimberly was born as the youngest daughter of Shirley. She is married to her husband Jason and has a son named Donnie.

Kimberly is initially shown to be aggressive towards her husband and often resents her family. However, after Shirley's funeral, Madea discloses that Kimberly was assaulted by her uncle at the age of 12 and ended up giving birth to Byron.

The childhood trauma led her to grow resentful towards her family. Fortunately, by the end of the play, Kimberly learns that she should put her past behind her and move on. She finally apologizes to Jason for not treating him right and the two reconcile.

Jeffery Lewis As Byron

American actor Jeffery Lewis portrayed the character of Byron in the 2010 Tyler Perry play.

Byron is initially believed to be the son of Shirley but later turns out to be the child of Kimberly. He was born after Kimberly was abused by her uncle at the age of 12.

Byron is in a relationship with a woman named Rose. He also has a child with a former girlfriend named Karen.

The character of Byron was played by actor Shad Moss. In the movie version, Byron is a former drug dealer who is currently on probation.

Supporting Cast And Characters

Besides the above-mentioned actors and their roles, the play also featured a supporting cast consisting of several professional stage actors.

• Cheryl Pepsii Riley played Joyce
• Zuri Craig played Donnie
• Danny Clay played Harold Jones
• Rico Ball played Jason
• Crissy Collins played Tammy
• Palmer Williams Jr played Monroe
• Quan Hodges played Dr. Frank Wallace
• Brandi Milton played Karen
• Chontelle Moore played Rose