Tyler Perry's Divorce in the Black





Scene 1: The Family Room It’s a typical evening in the Johnson household. The family room is warm and cozy, filled with family photos, a large comfortable couch, and a coffee table with remnants of dinner. KAREN, a successful real estate agent in her mid-40s, is sitting on the couch, typing away on her laptop. Her husband, MICHAEL, a mid-level manager at a logistics company, enters the room, looking tired but determined.

KAREN
(glances up, smiling)
Hey, babe. How was work?

MICHAEL
(with a forced smile)
Same old. Got through the day. How about you?

KAREN
It was good. Closed on the Thompson house. Big commission coming in.

MICHAEL
(nods, distracted)
That’s great.

There’s an awkward silence. Karen tries to engage him, but Michael seems distant, his mind clearly elsewhere.

KAREN
Is everything okay? You seem… off.

MICHAEL
(sighs, finally sitting down)
I don’t know, Karen. I just feel like… like we’re just going through the motions. Work, home, eat, sleep, repeat. Is this really it?

KAREN
(concerned, putting her laptop aside)
What are you saying, Michael? You think we’re in a rut?

MICHAEL
(looks her in the eye, his voice heavy with emotion)
I don’t know, Karen. I just feel like we’ve lost something. The spark, the connection… I miss us.

Scene 2: The Girlfriends’ Chat

The next day, Karen meets with her two best friends, LISA and TONYA, at a chic coffee shop. Lisa is a single mother and a fierce businesswoman, and Tonya is a stay-at-home mom with a large, loud family.

LISA
Girl, you’ve been quiet. What’s going on?

KAREN
(hesitates, then sighs)
Michael and I had a weird conversation last night. He’s not happy… and I don’t know what to do.

TONYA
(concerned)
What do you mean, he’s not happy?

KAREN
He says we’re stuck in a routine, that we’ve lost the connection. I didn’t even realize he felt that way.

LISA
Girl, men are funny like that. They bottle stuff up until they can’t anymore. What did you say?

KAREN
I tried to talk it through, but I don’t know if it helped. I’m scared, y’all. What if we can’t fix this?

TONYA
You need to fight for your marriage, Karen. You two have been through too much to let it fall apart now.

LISA
But also, don’t lose yourself trying to fix something that’s broken. Sometimes, people just… grow apart.

Karen looks conflicted, unsure of what the next steps should be.

Act 2: The Rift Widens

Scene 3: The Argument

It’s a week later, and the tension in the Johnson household has only grown. Karen and Michael are in the kitchen, preparing dinner in silence. The silence is suffocating.

MICHAEL
(suddenly)
We need to talk.

KAREN
(sighs, putting down the knife she’s holding)
About what?

MICHAEL
About us. I can’t keep pretending everything’s okay.

KAREN
(hurt)
I know things aren’t perfect, but… Michael, we’ve been together for 15 years. We can’t just throw that away.

MICHAEL
(angry, raising his voice)
I’m not saying we should! But we can’t just keep sweeping our problems under the rug. I’m tired, Karen. I’m tired of feeling like I’m the only one who cares.

KAREN
(voice trembling)
That’s not fair, Michael. I care. I’ve always cared.

MICHAEL
(frustrated)
Then why do I feel so alone?

The argument escalates, both of them saying things they don’t mean. Finally, Michael storms out, leaving Karen standing in the kitchen, tears streaming down her face.

Scene 4: The Intervention

Karen’s mother, MADEA, arrives the next day. A strong, no-nonsense woman in her 60s, Madea has seen it all. She’s come to set things straight.

MADEA
(busts through the door, immediately taking charge)
Where’s my baby girl?

KAREN
(surprised, wiping her tears quickly)
Mama, what are you doing here?

MADEA
I’m here because I heard there’s trouble in paradise. Now, sit down and tell me what’s going on.

KAREN relays everything that’s happened, her voice shaky with emotion. Madea listens quietly, nodding thoughtfully.

MADEA
Marriage ain’t no fairytale, Karen. It’s hard work. But you two need to remember why you fell in love in the first place. That man loves you, but he’s hurting. And you’re hurting too. Don’t let pride or fear keep you from fixing this.

KAREN
(sniffles)
What if it’s too late, Mama?



MADEA
It ain’t too late until you both decide to walk away. Now, you need to sit down and talk. Really talk. And listen.

Act 3: The Road to Healing

Scene 5: The Heart-to-Heart

That evening, Karen and Michael finally sit down together, both visibly nervous but determined. The living room is quiet, the mood tense but hopeful.

KAREN
(takes a deep breath, starting first)
Michael, I’m sorry. I’ve been so caught up in my work, in everything else, that I didn’t see how much you were hurting.

MICHAEL
(softly)
I’m sorry too, Karen. I should’ve talked to you sooner. But I didn’t know how. I just felt… lost.

KAREN
We’ve both made mistakes. But I don’t want to lose you. We’ve built a life together. A family. That’s worth fighting for.

MICHAEL
(reaching for her hand)
I don’t want to lose you either. We’ve been through too much together to let this be the end.

They continue talking, openly and honestly, for the first time in a long time. By the end of the conversation, there are still tears, but also smiles and a renewed sense of hope.

Scene 6: The New Beginning

It’s a few months later. Karen and Michael are walking hand in hand in a park, the sun setting in the background. They look happy and at peace.

KAREN
(smiling at him)
We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?


DWONLOAD


MICHAEL
(kissing her forehead)
Yeah, we have. And we’re just getting started.

They share a laugh, the weight of the past months finally lifted. As they walk off into the sunset, it’s clear that while their journey isn’t over, they’re ready to face whatever comes next—together.

Curtain closes.