Madea Goes to Jail (play)

Play written by Tyler Perry

Madea Goes to Jail is an 2005 American stage play that was written, produced, and directed by Tyler Perry in 2005. It stars Tyler Perry as Mabel "Madea" Simmons and Cassi Davis as Ella Kincaid. The live performance released on DVD on June 27, 2006 was recorded live in Atlanta at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in October 2005. The DVD was released alongside Why Did I Get Married? and Madea's Family Reunion.

Vanessa Andrews, an aspiring business student stressed over school, struggles to finish her latest class assignment while refusing to attend to her infant son, Sonny Jr., or help her husband and Madea's nephew, Sonny Andrews Sr., get ready for work. Sonny works at a prison to both pay for Vanessa's schooling and to support their son. Ella Kincaid, Madea's best friend and next door neighbor, enters the house asking for Madea, who is absent. Unbeknownst to everyone, Madea has been arrested in Conyers for refusing to pay for gas and is currently in custody at the same prison where Sonny works. Ella and Vanessa then argue over the latter's ambivalence over the needs of her husband and child, and refusal to do her part as a wife and mother, given that Sonny is working hard to pay for her education among other things. Nate, Sonny's boss and friend, comes to the house to drive him to work. As he waits, Sonny tries to placate Vanessa, promising her some love and affection after he returns home. He leaves with Nate, and Ella takes a phone call and learns that Madea is in jail. Later, at the jail, Sonny runs into his long time friend, Wanda, who is now an Assistant District Attorney. After catching up briefly, Wanda leaves and Sonny's co worker Leo and Madea enter and accuse each other of giving the other a hard time. Madea tells Sonny about how she got arrested and asks him to go home to fetch bail money. She then meets and butts heads with Chico, a hardened inmate who is later revealed to have three sons (one in jail, one "strung out", and one dead) and gets acquainted with Katie, who has been in jail for nine years for non fatally stabbing her pimp ex husband Pete after catching him molesting their daughter Toni, who has been continuously bounced from one foster home to another ever since. Toni comes to visit and is shown to have a very nasty attitude from her experiences in the foster system, and soon makes the mistake of turning it onto Madea. After a short confrontation, Toni leaves, and later, the prisoners are forced to turn in for the night. During this time, Madea and Chico are placed together and the two quickly get into a fight over the cell's bunks, which Madea wins. The next day, Madea meets Jeremy Tucker, her probation officer & the prison chaplain, who explains the terms of her probation. Soon after that, Katie's ex husband Pete arrives and threatens to go after Toni again as revenge for Katie stabbing him, which Madea witnesses. This inspires Madea, after making bail, to take care of Toni until Katie gets out of jail. Sometime after returning home, Madea notices a strange scent on Vanessa's clothes and bedsheets while doing the laundry. Ella then stops by, and Madea reveals that Toni has been giving her a hard time since her arrival. When Toni comes down dressed in skimpy clothes, refuses to go to school, ignores the women, and gives them attitude, Madea spanks her with a belt and forces her to go back upstairs and change. Leo and Sonny arrive, and Madea complains about Vanessa's trifling and lazy behavior. Vanessa overhears and gets smart with Madea, nearly coming to blows with her as a result, and reveals that she has a job interview the following day. Leo then leaves with Ella, while Sonny receives food from Madea and leaves with her and Toni, and Vanessa then slips off to parts unknown. Some days later, Sonny forgets his keys and returns home to pick them up. Vanessa tries to get him to leave quickly, revealing that she is about to give their son a bath upstairs, though she assures him that she hasn't run the water yet. The two then get into an argument over what to do once Vanessa gets a job, with her selfishly refusing to take over Sonny's responsibilities so that he can return to school and finish his classes. After Sonny leaves, Nate emerges from hiding, revealing that he and Vanessa have been having an affair. As they start to make out in the bedroom, Nate suddenly hears water running in the bathroom, and they both run inside and discover the baby has had a horrific accident and is about to drown. They quickly call 9 1 1 and rush the child to the hospital. Later, Madea is fuming over the baby's accident. Then, when Vanessa, Sonny, and Nate come in from the emergency room, Madea and Ella smell the same scent on Nate that was on Vanessa's clothes and bedsheets. After confirming this, Madea tries to get Sonny to realize what's going on. When he doesn't, Madea tells Vanessa to admit to her affair with Nate. The two viciously argue, with Sonny defending his wife. Wanda enters and informs them that she has just met with the Child Protective Agency about the baby and that he needs a blood transfusion, but reveals that Sonny isn't a match and therefore, is not the child's biological father. Vanessa protests this and tries to assure Sonny that he is the father, but he, finally realizing his wife's infidelity, angrily demands the truth. Nate then admits to his affair with Vanessa and that he is likely the father, nearly causing Sonny to attack him. Nate and Vanessa try to appeal to and apologize to Sonny, but Madea orders the two to leave and chases them out of the house with a gun when Nate attempts to confront her. Madea and Ella then chase after them, and a distraught Sonny retreats to his son's room, much to Wanda's sadness. Some days later, Sonny, Toni, and Wanda come back from church, with Sonny planning to return to work to take his mind off everything. Wanda informs him that Sonny Jr. is recovering, but then reveals that Nate isn't the child's father either and went crazy against Vanessa when he found out; Vanessa was subsequently forced to take out a restraining order against him and is now in jail after being charged with child endangerment. After learning that Vanessa gave up her parental rights and that the baby will be put into foster care, Sonny expresses his desire to adopt and raise the child. The next day, at the prison, Vanessa attempts to weasel her way back into Sonny's good graces to get bail so she can keep her job, but fails and is forced to sign his divorce papers. As Sonny meets with Jeremy, Nate arrives, and after brushing off Vanessa out of anger and disgust, gives Sonny more jobs (working four back to back doubles). When Sonny cops an attitude with him over this, Nate retaliates by having him transferred to the F Unit, where all the hardened convicts reside, telling him to quit if he doesn't like it. Jeremy intervenes and decides to help Sonny by talking to the warden, while also scheduling Toni to pay a visit to Katie. Also, Katie persuades Chico to turn her life over to God to make a brand new life for herself after her release. The next day, Nate arrives and almost ends up in another confrontation with Sonny over a complaint filed to the warden, before Leo breaks it up. Jeremy then reveals that he filed the complaint and that he recommended Nate for the position in the F Unit. Nate begrudgingly takes the position and finds out that Sonny has his job now, at which point he leaves. Leo becomes jealous that Sonny is now his boss and temporarily denounces their friendship until Ella sets him straight. Wanda arrives and Sonny reveals he is in love with her; while unsure of how she feels, but decides to give things a try. Madea arrives with Toni to visit Katie as Ella, Sonny, and Wanda leave. Toni properly greets her mother, leaving Katie very pleased with the change in her daughter's attitude. Madea then persuades Katie to tell Toni the truth about how she ended up incarcerated and subsequently exits. Katie prepares to tell her daughter the truth, but an upset Toni refuses to believe her and runs out of jail. Later, at home, Sonny is depressed over his breakup with Vanessa, upset that he couldn't get her to change her ways. Madea says that someone like her could never change and instructs him to start paying attention to things better and to move on after he finishes grieving. Ella, Wanda, Leo, and Jeremy arrive and soon everyone sings musical numbers to try and cheer Sonny up. After this, Wanda reveals that Leo, is in fact, the father of Vanessa's baby. Upon hearing this, Leo immediately runs out of the house, and Ella, livid at the news, pursues him with a knife in hand, thus proving that he was no more of a friend to Sonny than Nate was. Sonny and Wanda then share a kiss as Madea goes upstairs to Toni's room. After overhearing Toni having a strongly suggestive conversation with a 16 year old boy, Madea takes the phone and speaks to the boy and, after learning about how young all of his family has had children, she advises Toni not to talk to him anymore. She spends some time with Toni, giving her advice about being what she wants to be and not caring about others' opinions of her, and giving Toni her interpretations of the Bible. Toni reveals that she doesn't know how to pray and later asks Jeremy to teach her about prayer, at which he agrees. The next day, Toni is confronted by her father, who aims to molest her again, but Madea and Ella arrive just in time to save her and chase him out of the house. Shortly afterwards, Wanda, Sonny, and the now released Katie then enter, and Katie reveals that she is ready to take Toni back. Toni wants to stay with Madea, but Katie's powerful declaration of her love for her daughter changes her mind. Toni gathers her things, says goodbye to Madea, Ella, Sonny, and Wanda, the latter of whom finally become an official couple, before leaving with her mother.

+Scheduled shows Date City VenueJanuary 3, 2005PhoenixDodge TheatreJanuary 4, 2005January 6, 2005HollywoodKodak TheatreJanuary 7, 2005January 8, 2005January 9, 2005January 11, 2005SacramentoSacramento Memorial AuditoriumJanuary 12, 2005January 13, 2005OaklandParamount TheatreJanuary 14, 2005January 15, 2005January 16, 2005January 18, 2005Las VegasCashman TheatreJanuary 19, 2005January 21, 2005SeattleParamount TheatreJanuary 22, 2005January 23, 2005January 25, 2005San DiegoSan Diego Sports ArenaJanuary 26, 2005January 27, 2005HollywoodKodak TheatreJanuary 28, 2005January 29, 2005January 30, 2005February 2, 2005MemphisOrpheum TheatreFebruary 3, 2005February 4, 2005February 5, 2005February 6, 2005February 8, 2005Winston SalemJoel ColiseumFebruary 9, 2005February 10, 2005ColumbiaTownship AuditoriumFebruary 11, 2005February 12, 2005February 13, 2005February 15, 2005New OrleansSaenger TheatreFebruary 16, 2005February 17, 2005February 18, 2005February 19, 2005February 20, 2005February 22, 2005NewarkNewark Symphony HallFebruary 23, 2005February 24, 2005February 25, 2005February 26, 2005February 27, 2005March 1, 2005New YorkBeacon TheatreMarch 2, 2005March 3, 2005March 4, 2005March 5, 2005March 6, 2005March 8, 2005ChicagoArie Crown TheaterMarch 9, 2005March 10, 2005March 11, 2005March 12, 2005March 13, 2005March 15, 2005March 16, 2005March 17, 2005March 18, 2005March 19, 2005March 22, 2005HoustonBrown TheaterMarch 23, 2005March 24, 2005March 25, 2005March 26, 2005March 27, 2005March 29, 2005DetroitFox TheatreMarch 30, 2005March 31, 2005April 1, 2005April 2, 2005April 3, 2005April 5, 2005ChicagoArie Crown TheaterApril 6, 2005April 7, 2005April 9, 2005April 10, 2005April 12, 2005GreenvilleBi Lo CenterApril 13, 2005April 15, 2005HamptonHampton ColiseumApril 16, 2005April 17, 2005April 26, 2005AtlantaFabulous Fox TheatreApril 27, 2005April 28, 2005April 29, 2005April 30, 2005May 1, 2005May 3, 2005New YorkBeacon TheatreMay 4, 2005May 5, 2005May 6, 2005May 7, 2005May 8, 2005May 19, 2005NewarkNewark Symphony HallMay 20, 2005May 21, 2005May 22, 2005May 24, 2005Washington, D. C. DAR Constitution HallMay 25, 2005May 26, 2005May 27, 2005May 28, 2005May 29, 2005June 16, 2005DetroitFox TheatreJune 17, 2005June 18, 2005June 19, 2005June 21, 2005BaltimoreMorgan State UniversityJune 22, 2005June 23, 2005June 24, 2005June 25, 2005June 26, 2005September 27, 2005SaginawDow Event CenterSeptember 28, 2005September 30, 2005CincinnatiCintas CenterOctober 1, 2005October 2, 2005October 4, 2005AtlantaFabulous Fox TheatreOctober 5, 2005October 6, 2005October 7, 2005October 8, 2005October 9, 2005October 11, 2005MiamiJames L. Knight CenterOctober 12, 2005October 13, 2005October 14, 2005October 15, 2005October 16, 2005October 25, 2005FayettevilleCrown Center of Cumberland CountyOctober 26, 2005October 27, 2005CharlotteCricket ArenaOctober 28, 2005October 29, 2005October 30, 2005November 2, 2005MemphisOrpheum TheatreNovember 3, 2005November 4, 2005November 5, 2005November 6, 2005November 8, 2005Grand RapidsVan Andel ArenaNovember 10, 2005MilwaukeeMilwaukee TheatreNovember 11, 2005November 12, 2005November 13, 2005November 15, 2005RaleighRBC CenterNovember 16, 2005November 22, 2005ColumbusColumbus Civic CenterNovember 23, 2005November 24, 2005BirminghamBJCC Concert HallNovember 25, 2005November 26, 2005November 27, 2005November 29, 2005LouisvilleLouisville GardensNovember 30, 2005December 2, 2005NashvilleNashville Municipal AuditoriumDecember 3, 2005December 4, 2005January 3, 2006PortlandRose GardenJanuary 5, 2006OaklandParamount TheatreJanuary 6, 2006January 7, 2006January 8, 2006January 10, 2006PhoenixDodge TheatreJanuary 11, 2006January 12, 2006HollywoodKodak TheatreJanuary 13, 2006January 14, 2006January 15, 2006January 24, 2006Washington, D. C. DAR Constitution HallJanuary 25, 2006January 26, 2006January 27, 2006January 28, 2006January 29, 2006February 7, 2006CharlestonNorth Charleston ColiseumFebruary 8, 2006February 10, 2006ColumbiaTownship AuditoriumFebruary 11, 2006February 12, 2006FlorenceFlorence Civic CenterFebruary 27, 2006PeoriaPeoria Civic CenterMarch 2, 2006IndianapolisMurat TheatreMarch 3, 2006March 4, 2006March 5, 2006March 9, 2006DallasMusic Hall at Fair ParkMarch 10, 2006March 11, 2006March 12, 2006March 31, 2006JacksonMississippi ColiseumApril 1, 2006April 2, 2006April 7, 2006WallingfordChevrolet TheatreApril 8, 2006April 9, 2006April 18, 2006PittsburghPetersen Events CenterApril 19, 2006April 21, 2006WorcesterDCU CenterApril 22, 2006April 23, 2006April 25, 2006TampaUSF Sun DomeApril 27, 2006JacksonvilleTimes Union Center for the Performing ArtsApril 28, 2006April 29, 2006April 30, 2006May 2, 2006ColumbusNationwide ArenaMay 4, 2006MinneapolisOrpheum TheatreMay 5, 2006May 6, 2006May 7, 2006May 9, 2006New YorkBeacon TheatreMay 10, 2006May 11, 2006May 12, 2006May 13, 2006May 14, 2006

A film adaptation of the same name was released on February 20, 2009.