Arco Arena was turned into a musical theatre Wednesday night for Tyler Perry's "Madea's Big Happy Family." The play featured a high-tech set that revolved around the stage to create different scenes for a 15-part cast backed by a 12-part band in the orchestra pit.

Beginning around 8 p.m., thousands, including former Kings players Bobby Jackson and Shareef Abdur-Rahim and current Kings player Francisco Garcia, laughed, cried and sang along to the play.

Perry, who is best known for his recent work as writer, producer, director and actor in a number of Hollywood films (Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Why Did I Get Married, Madea Goes To Jail), wrote this play to honor his mother who passed away last month. Madea, the play's main character and a recurring character in Perry's works, was inspired by his mother, he told the audience after the show.

Madea (played by Perry in drag) is a candid, belligerent smoker who holds the dysfunctional family together like glue. Interspersed through the play's dialogue are musical numbers which range from gospel spirituals to an R&B medley.

At one point Madea jokingly requests Don McLean's "American Pie" for the white people in the audience.

But for every comic element, there seems to be a serious moment as well. The play deals with issues like religion, drugs, and rape. The moral of the play, given by a dying grandmother to her family is, "If you're loving real love, then you've lived life."

The characters have surprising depth during serious parts of the play, but the comic elements remain slapstick. At one point, Madea slaps a drug-dealing young father and chokes his girlfriend for being stupid.

Madea's stage presence is perhaps the most slapstick element of the play. Perry, who is 6'5", is an imposing man who does not possess any woman-like qualities whatsoever, belying Madea's feminine appearance.

The play ends in a sing-a-long of R&B tunes which covered everyone from Rose Royce to Luther Vandross.

During several moments, Perry clearly ad-libbed lines, throwing the band off queue. He later apologized, sans drag, saying, "The show is only a week-and-a-half old."

He also thanked the audience for its energy, and for giving him a standing ovation even though it's been five years since he's graced a stage. The audience left, feeling a little more like a big happy family, with hugs and other displays of affection.