Laugh to Keep from Crying
Laugh to Keep from Crying is a play written and directed by American playwright Tyler Perry. The show first opened in the fall of 2009. The play is a mixture of comedy, drama, and music, set at an inner-city building in a predominantly African-American neighborhood. The show stars Cheryl Pepsii Riley as Carole, Chandra Currelley as Belinda, Palmer Williams Jr. as Floyd and Támar Davis as Lisa.
Laugh to Keep from Crying | |
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Written by | Tyler Perry |
Genre | Comedy, drama |
Setting | Apartment complex |
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.
Cast
- Cheryl Pepsii Riley as Carol
- Chandra Currelley as Belinda
- Palmer Williams Jr. as Floyd
- D'Atra Hicks as Niecy
- Támar Davis as Lisa
- Stephanie Ferrett as Anna
- Donny Sykes as Tony
- Rachel Richards as Jane
- Anthony Dalton as Donnie
- Celestin Cornielle as Eddie
- Wess Morgan as Peter
Live Tour Cast
- Cheryl Pepsii Riley as Carol
- Chandra Currelley as Belinda
- Palmer Williams Jr. as Floyd
- D'Atra Hicks as Niecy
- Tamar Davis as Lisa
- Donny Sykes as Tony
- Stephanie Ferrett as Anna
- Rachel Richards as Jane
- Theo Williamson as Donnie
- Greg Stewart as Eddie
- Chris Cauley as Peter
Musical numbers
- "Wake Up Everybody"
- "We Can Work It Out"
- "I Want to Thank You, Lord"
- "Lord, I Give It All to You"
- "Church Medley"
- "I Will Trust in the Lord"
- "We've Come This Far"
- "He Will Fix It"
- "I Better Get All My Rent"
- "Laugh to Keep from Crying"
- "Things Are Gonna Get Better"
- "I Need Thee"
- "No More (I Wanna Be Redeemed)"
- "I'm Sorry, So Sorry"
- "Block Party Medley"
- "Shame"
- "Square Biz"
- "Best of My Love"
- "I'll Take You There"
- "You Light My Fire"
- "Ain't Nobody"
- "The Things You Do for Me"
- "I Want You Back"
References
On the live tour Wess Morgan played Peter. Anthony Dalton played Donnie. Greg Stewart played Eddie.