Actor, playwriter, comedian, and director Tyler Perry will be giving his beloved iconic character, Madea, a final tour in Orlando on Sunday, February 10th at the Amway Center. The event is called “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Farewell Play Tour,” and it will kick off in Oakland, California on January 18th, 2019. Perry has said that 2019 will be the last year for the Madea character and he is saying goodbye in an upcoming film titled, Tyler Perry’s a Madea Family Funeral which will be out on March 1. The film will be the last collaboration between Perry and Lionsgate.

Mabel “Madea” Simmons is a hilarious and tough-talking black grandmother character, created and played by Perry. Madea is often known for comical and vulgar language and numerous criminal offenses. Perry said that he based Madea off of his own mother, as well as Eddie Murphy’s performance in “Nutty Professor II: The Klumps.” Madea first appeared on stage almost 20 years ago in Perry’s 1999 play “I Can Do Bad All By Myself.” Although there was a lot of criticism regarding the character’s stereotypical black behavior, Madea has become the star of several of Perry’s. films and the film franchise has garnered more than $500 million worldwide. The franchise has also brought in a lot of diverse audiences as it explores topics of race, poverty, love, and more.

Perry made the official announcement that he is ending the character on Bevy Smith’s SiriusXM show “Bevelations” on Monday stating, “I just don’t want to be her age, playing her.”  Perry also said that he wanted to focus on other projects like “Acrimony,” released earlier this year, and “Nobody’s Fool,” which will be out Nov. 2, which were both directed by him.

The tour will star other original casts members such as Tamela Mann, David Mann, and Cassi Davis. Ticket prices for the final farewell tour start at $45. They can be purchased at the Amway Center box office, Ticketmaster retail locations, Ticketmaster.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000.