TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

While the end of a marriage is usually a cause for tears, playwright Ja'Caryous Johnson is playing it for laughs in "Cheaper to Keep Her," coming to town Tuesday.

"Cheaper" stars film and television actress Vivica A. Fox as Morgan Mays, the wife who gets it all when she and husband Raymond, played by R&B singer Brian McKnight, call it quits. To stop paying alimony, Raymond schemes for her to remarry. But when his plan seems to take off, he has second thoughts about who should be with his ex. Comedians Jonathan Slocumb and Gary "G-Thang" Johnson keep things from getting too serious in supporting roles as Raymond's brother-in-law and best friend, respectively.

The comedy stage play is the 12th for Johnson, an NAACP Award-winning writer and director. The show's "grass is greener" premise, which Johnson said is all too often played out in the headlines with big-time athletes and entertainers, was inspired by the real-life story of his script collaborator, Renee Rivon. Johnson said the works for his company, I'm Ready Productions, are inspired by everyday events and rooted in biblical principles.

"Life's experiences give me inspiration, as do the fans and their feedback on the message board," he said.

It's that feedback that landed Bakersfield a spot on the tour. Crediting tour requests on the message board and via the www.imreadyproductions.com website, Johnson said, "The people from Bakersfield have spoken and now we are coming!" This will be the third stop for the touring show -- which kicks off Saturday in Las Vegas -- and the first time an I'm Ready production has come to town.

According to Johnson, anticipation is high for this performance, Fox, who is co-producing the show as well as starring in it, "is very involved and passionate about this production," Johnson said. "She works soooo hard to please the people. We are alike in that way ... we are both perfectionists!

"We're looking forward to meeting the people and giving them a great show!" And based on the response they get Tuesday, it may not be the last. Johnson said, "As long as Bakersfield shows us love, we will forever be loyal to them. We'll be back again and again."

So what should viewers expect? Promising that you've never seen anything like it, Johnson said, "It is the show not to miss! I guarantee you will laugh, you will love it, and you will begin to enjoy and see life differently!"

Although the show has a serious message, it gets that across using humor, which, according to Johnson, is a necessity to reel in audiences.

"Laughter is the opposite of stress! People come to escape ... I even get to escape when writing it," he said.

The playwright said that although art often imitates life, which can be negative, he instead attempts "to change life through art," which he sees as "a rehearsal for change."

Along with being entertained by the production, Johnson hopes viewers take away a hopeful message about that ability to change. Despite life's difficulties, "there is something greater in you than what you are going through." Most importantly, he said, you should "laugh at life and don't let life laugh at you!"

The busy writer-director is having the last laugh in terms of productivity. Along with the current tour, Johnson is getting ready to start preproduction for the film version of "Cheaper," as well as two new sitcoms -- "More to Love" and "Help! I'm a Black Woman Trying to Date!"