I Know I've Been Changed

I Know I've Been Changed was the first successful play from playwright Tyler Perry.^[1] The play focuses on issues including child abuse^[2] and rape and how they can be overcome by a strong belief in God.

I Know I've Been Changed
Written by	Tyler Perry
Characters	Joe, Mary, Fanny, Ellen, Sam, Mitch, Sister Lewis, Millie, and Lequita
Original run	1998-2000
Tyler Perry website Official site

Soul musician Ryan Shaw got his start performing in this play in 1998. The play received its first staging in Atlanta in 1992.^[3] The play toured from 1998 to 2000.^[4]

Grammy award winning vocalist Ann Nesby of the musical and instrumental group Sounds of Blackness played a supporting role in this play/production.

Plot

This hard-hitting play used comedy and drama to tell a story of two adult survivors of child abuse who became the people that their abusive mother said they would be. It is also the story of how they overcame, by the power of God, with a shocking twist at the end. Mary, the lead character, married and had two children before she had the opportunity to become an adult herself. Emotionally and spiritually irresponsible, she sought the succor of drugs to alleviate the pressure of rearing her children. This drug abuse manifests itself in verbal, emotional and physical abuse toward her children. She is unable to see the beauty of her own children, and, while addicted to drugs, is unable to alter the destructive path she has embarked upon. Compounding an already dysfunctional family situation, the husband is abusive to his wife and children as well, molesting his older son, which results in a dramatic plot twist later in the play. Fanny, is a mother divorcing her husband after becoming a famous singer. In a bold move to pursue her dreams she had to leave her daughter Ellen, to be raised by her husband, Joe.

1998/1999 Cast

• Tyler Perry as Joe
• Shirley Marie Graham as Mary
  • Sheila Stroud (1998)
• Ann Nesby as Fanny
• LaShun Pace as Sister Lewis (Chandra Currelly Subs The Voice Of Sister Lewis In The Original Soundtrack)
• Jamecia Bennett as Ellen
  • Saycon Sengbloh (1998)
• Latrice Pace as Millie
  • Bernadette Grant
  • Chandra Currelly (Subs Ms.Millie In The Original Soundtrack)
• Ryan Shaw as Sam
  • Darnell Harris (1998)
• Carl Pertile as Mitch
• Jasmine Ross as Lequita
  • Sylvia Cannon
• Quan Howell as Reverend
• Chandra Currelly as Emma

Shows

Scheduled shows

Date	City	Venue
March 12, 1998	Atlanta	The Tabernacle
March 13, 1998	Atlanta	The Tabernacle
March 14, 1998	Atlanta	The Tabernacle
March 15, 1998	Atlanta	The Tabernacle
April 27, 1998	Rochester	Rochester Auditorium Theatre
April 28, 1998	Rochester	Rochester Auditorium Theatre
April 29, 1998	Buffalo	Kleinhans Music Hall
April 30, 1998	Pittsburgh	Benedum Center
May 6, 1998	Columbus	Palace Theatre
May 12, 1998	Baltimore	Lyric Performing Arts Center
May 13, 1998	Baltimore	Lyric Performing Arts Center
May 14, 1998	Baltimore	Lyric Performing Arts Center
May 15, 1998	Baltimore	Lyric Performing Arts Center
May 16, 1998	Baltimore	Lyric Performing Arts Center
May 17, 1998	Baltimore	Lyric Performing Arts Center
June 21, 1998	Manhattan	Beacon Theatre
October 2, 1998	Chicago	Avalon Regal Theater
October 3, 1998	Chicago	Avalon Regal Theater
October 4, 1998	Chicago	Avalon Regal Theater
October 11, 1998	Oakland	Paramount Theatre
November 10, 1998	Dorchester	Strand Theatre
January 12, 1999	Miami	Olympia Theater
January 13, 1999	Miami	Olympia Theater
January 14, 1999	Miami	Olympia Theater
January 15, 1999	Miami	Olympia Theater
January 16, 1999	Miami	Olympia Theater
January 17, 1999	Miami	Olympia Theater
January 26, 1999	Dallas	Dallas Convention Center Theater
January 27, 1999	Dallas	Dallas Convention Center Theater
January 28, 1999	Dallas	Dallas Convention Center Theater
January 29, 1999	Dallas	Dallas Convention Center Theater
January 30, 1999	Dallas	Dallas Convention Center Theater
January 31, 1999	Dallas	Dallas Convention Center Theater
February 5, 1999	Memphis	Orpheum Theatre
February 6, 1999	Memphis	Orpheum Theatre
February 7, 1999	Memphis	Orpheum Theatre
February 25, 1999	Indianapolis	Old National Centre
March 26, 1999	Memphis	Orpheum Theatre
March 27, 1999	Memphis	Orpheum Theatre
March 28, 1999	Memphis	Orpheum Theatre
April 22, 1999	Kansas City	Kansas City Music Hall
April 23, 1999	Kansas City	Kansas City Music Hall
April 24, 1999	Kansas City	Kansas City Music Hall
April 25, 1999	Kansas City	Kansas City Music Hall
September 28, 1999	Detroit	Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
September 29, 1999	Detroit	Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
September 30, 1999	Detroit	Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
October 1, 1999	Detroit	Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
October 2, 1999	Detroit	Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
October 3, 1999	Detroit	Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts
November 18, 1999	St. Louis	Fox Theatre
November 19, 1999	St. Louis	Fox Theatre
November 20, 1999	St. Louis	Fox Theatre
November 21, 1999	St. Louis	Fox Theatre

Date	City	Venue
March 30, 1999	Washington, D.C.	Warner Theatre
March 31, 1999
April 1, 1999
April 2, 1999
April 3, 1999
April 4, 1999
April 13, 1999	Akron	Akron Civic Theatre
April 14, 1999
April 15, 1999	Cincinnati	Taft Theatre
April 16, 1999
April 17, 1999
April 18, 1999
April 20, 1999	Tulsa	Brady Theatre
April 21, 1999
April 22, 1999	Kansas City	Kansas City Convention & Entertainment Center
April 23, 1999
April 24, 1999
April 25, 1999
April 27, 1999	New York City	Beacon Theatre
April 28, 1999
April 29, 1999
April 30, 1999
May 1, 1999
May 2, 1999
May 4, 1999
May 5, 1999
May 6, 1999
May 7, 1999
May 8, 1999
May 9, 1999
May 11, 1999	Atlanta	Atlanta Civic Center
May 12, 1999
May 13, 1999
May 14, 1999
May 15, 1999
May 16, 1999
May 18, 1999	Houston	Wortham Theater Center
May 19, 1999
May 20, 1999
May 21, 1999
May 22, 1999
May 23, 1999
May 25, 1999
May 26, 1999
May 27, 1999
May 28, 1999
May 29, 1999
May 30, 1999

The Band

• Elvin Ross - Musical Director/Keybaords
• John Forbes - Keyboards
• Mike Frazier - Bass
• Marcus Green - Drums

Musical Numbers

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

• "Overture" - Band
• "I Know I've Been Changed" - Mary
• "Just Because God Said It" or "Don't Be Discouraged" - Sister Lewis
• "More Than Just a Sin" - Ellen
• "I Should Have Been There" - Mary
• "If I Knew What To Do" - Mitch
• "I'm Still Wearing Your Name" - Fanny
• "Gotta Move Blues" - Joe
• "Old Time Mix" - Millie, Mary, Ellen
• "She's Gonna Live" - Ellen and Johnny

• "He Will Take Away All Your Pain / I Know I've Been Changed" (Reprise) - Company

Trivia

• This is the debut play of Tyler Perry.
• In this play, Tyler Perry portrays Joe, a character still being portrayed by Perry in his movies (as the brother of fan-favorite character, Madea).
• While existing as one of Perry's first plays, it is one of the very least few that is not available on DVD.
  • The show was later supposed to be taped in 2002, and then in 2003. The plans wouldn't follow through for unknown reasons.
• "More Than Just A Sin" would later be included as part of the filmed version of "Why Did I Get Married? in 2005.
• This arrangement of the "Old Time Mix" would later be reused in 2002's "Madea's Family Reunion.
• Chandra Currelly, Ms. Millie in the show, subs in for the voice of Sister Lewis on the play's soundtrack recording, performing the show original "Don't Be Discouraged" in place of LaShun's "Just Because God Said It."