2019 Concert Venue Directory As Madea bows out, theaters avAILABLE NOW offer a last round of applause This contact directory is a comprehensive Tyler Perry's most Tyler Perry and international guide that lists venues with famous character cast in "Madea's Farewell Play capacities of 800 and above including leaves a trail of sold-out Tour," the last hurrah for Perry's arenas, amphitheaters, auditoriums, shows as she nears the irascible charac- facility management, performing arts end of her inal tour ter. centers, theaters and stadiums around the globe. This directory includes everything BY BRAD WEISSBERG from box office, capacity, merchandise, ' character rent and venue personnel. was not supposed to be the star of the touring stage shows and movies that eventually became a $500 million juggernaut. In the original 1999 play, "I Can Do Bad All By Myself," the al- Tways loud, often tough, sometimes violent and mainly loveable matriarch of the Simmons family was supposed to be onstage for only two minutes. But the last-minute cancellation of the star of the show forced Perry to take on all of the star's lines at Chicago’s Regal The- ater that night. The crowd roared, Madea stole the show, and a franchise was born. Twenty years later, Madea has appeared in 11 stage shows and 11 movies. The current stage incarnation, "Madea's Farewell Play because the movies were lmed in-between." when I drove up, there he was unloading the Tour," is on the last legs of a 17-week tour Also changed over time is the amount of truck. We've come a long way. and Perry has said this is the last run for shows in the routing; they went from doing “This has grown into a large production his popular character, which developed a 40-week tours to 17-week tours. with moving sets and outrageous costumes. reputation for lling theaters and pleasing But many of the names among the cast and It takes 11 trucks and eights buses to move crowds, particularly urban audiences. crew have stayed the same. "Two to three of the show and the 80-person cast and crew VenuesNow spoke with the production the actors have constantly been here. Many around.” about bidding farewell and to several venues crew members have been with us since the Primas has been most impressed with that have hosted the Madea plays over the start," he said. "People are loyal to Tyler Per- how the sets have gone from xed sets to years about the character’s legacy and the ry because he treats everyone with respect." moving feasts for the eyes. diculty in replacing her. Primas has seen many changes over the "We've got LED screens and moving Arthur Primas has been the tour promot- years. "The shows have evolved tremen- walls," he said. "The set was static when we er for the entire 20-year run of "Madea" dously," he said. "The rst show we had 10 rst started but there's nothing static about stage plays. cast members, the set cost $10,000, and the current sets. They're moving constantly. "We've been doing this since 1999," Pri- there were 35 people in the cast and crew. These are pieces of art, and it's been this mas said. "The rst 12 years we did one every One of the rst cities we played was Roch- year. After year 12 we did it every two years ester, N.Y. Tyler Perry is so involved that CONTINUED ON PAGE 56 Create a Free Account and purchase all directories at: pollstar.com/directories STUDIOS TYLER PERRY COURTESY For more information, call Jodi Di Pasquale at 310-254-9867 TK HERE CREDIT PHOTO MAYmay 2019 55 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 55 way for the last 10 years." While the audience appreciates the high- tech sets, what they really appreciate is seeing Tyler Perry on stage, according to Primas. "The movies are great, but I meet a lot of people who have gone to the movies and love them, and I tell them, 'If you haven't seen Tyler Perry live, you have not seen Ty- ler Perry.' The connection with the material and the audience and the vibe are like noth- ing you've ever seen. There's a reason why this character is so loved by the fans." Primas fondly recalled some of the early shows. "The rst show, 'I Can Do Bad All By Myself,' had such deep meaning and connected with the audiences," Primas said. "People thought 'Madea's Family Reunion' was a teaching moment. Same thing with 'Madea Goes to Jail' or 'Madea Gets a Job.' In these shows Tyler actually talks directly to the audience and they feel the message he's trying to send." Primas also remembered an early date when one emotional performance at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta almost brought down the balcony. "The crowd was so enthusiastic; they were stomping and cheering, and I looked up and I could see the balcony mov- ing up and down,” he said. “I thought it was going to break o©." Primas also had fond recollections of shows at the Beacon Theater in New York City, L.A.'s Dolby Theatre and the Fox The- atre in Detroit. Atlanta is Tyler Perry's home, and the Fox Theatre in Atlanta played an instrumental Madea is calling it a part in the success of the franchise. The the- day after 11 stage plays ater took a chance on Perry in 1999 before and 11 movies. anyone knew who Madea was, and it's been a stop on every Madea tour ever since. Tyler Perry Studios sits in the Greenbriar area of Vella said theaters will miss Perry’s trade- without any advertising. There is a lot of southwest Atlanta and includes 200,000 mark character as much as audiences will. organic interest in the show." square feet of sets and oce space. “It's miraculous that Perry still takes the Tickets at Kings Theatre range from $50 Fittingly, the Madea story will end where time to play live theater when much of his time to $140. it started and will raise its nal curtain in could be devoted to movies, which is probably Merchandise is a brisk seller at Madea Atlanta. Perry will take the stage as Madea more lucrative. Even more amazing is that shows, and the house gets a small percentage for the last time with six shows May 22-26 at Perry and his team are very easy to work with of the revenue, as do all the venues it plays in. the Fox. and that Tyler Perry has no attitude." "We're excited to be hosting it and excited "The show has been coming to his theater Tickets are priced by Live Nation, which to serve the community with this kind of A-list so long it predates me," said Allen Vella, is co-promoting the tour with Perry's pro- production," Bates said. "There is world-class president and CEO of the Fox Theatre. "The duction company. "It's the same pricing as talent coming through these doors, and this is show has been playing here for 20 years. our Broadway package," Vella said. helping us expand the live theater conversa- Tyler Perry is an institution in Atlanta.” Vella said Madea will be dicult to tion out of Manhattan and into Brooklyn." STUDIOS TYLER PERRY COURTESY "The city at large is proud of him," Vella replace. "There is no up-and-coming Tyler Primas has mixed emotions about the said. "He's a great rags-to-riches American Perry. No one is producing this product for end of the road. "In one sense we've been story. He is beloved and a very important this audience, and we'll miss it dearly." working constantly for 22 years. In another member of the community. He's put his Madea is also coming back to Brooklyn's sense, how do you start over with something time, money and e©ort into investing back 3,000-seat Kings Theatre. The historic 1929 that's gone on this long? But mostly I want to into the city. He's very generous and a quiet venue closed in 1977 and reopened in 2015 say thank you to the fans for the loyalty and philanthropist.” after a $95 million renovation in time to the support." "Ticket sales for the shows are robust, book "Madea on the Run." Is this really the end of Madea? Primas and every Madea event sells 100% capac- "It's our second Madea show and I wish thinks Perry means it when he said that this ity," Vella said. "The demographics of the there would be more," said Kings Theatre is the last play. show vary wildly. It skews urban, but Madea General Manager Tyler Bates. "The shows "Make no mistake — this is farewell tour, has touched a nerve in many communities.” are fantastic and have all sold out, mostly and when we end this, it's over." 56 MAY 2019 The "Madea" plays have illed theaters across the country for two decades, including Fox Theatres in Atlanta and Detroit. HOTTICKETS MORE THAN 15,000 CAPACITY Ranked by gross. All data based on igures provided to Pollstar. Date range: 3/16/19-4/15/19. Data updated as of April 21. TICKETS RANK GROSS EVENT VENUE SOLD PROMOTER DATE SHOWS 1 $12,660,700 George Strait NRG Stadium at NRG Park, Houston 80,108 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo March 17 1 2 $11,999,961 George Strait Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta 55,255 Messina Touring Group / AEG Presents March 30 1 3 $9,086,590 Paul McCartney Allianz Parque, São Paulo 90,384 T4F - Time For Fun March 26-27 2 4 $8,619,487 "Vive Latino" Foro Sol, Mexico City 161,784 OCESA / CIE March 16-17 2 5 $8,002,700 "Pa'L Norte" Parque Fundidora, Monterrey, Mexico 131,584 OCESA / CIE, March 22-23 2 Representaciones Apodaca 6 $3,427,273 Arctic Monkeys Foro Sol, Mexico City 64,467 OCESA / CIE March 24 1 7 $2,881,299 André Rieu Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal 36,994 In-House, André Rieu Productions March 29-31 3 8 $2,874,425 Eric Church Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, Wis.