Lena Waithe Makes Playwriting and Stage Acting Debut with World Premiere of 'Trinity' at Baltimore Center Stage

Lena Waithe, an Emmy Award-winning writer, producer, and actor known for projects like "Master of None" and "The Chi", is set to make her playwriting debut with "trinity", a new original play premiering at Baltimore Center Stage . The limited engagement runs from February 12 through March 8, 2026, with opening night on February 21. The production is presented in association with Hillman Grad, Waithe's company founded to expand access for underrepresented artists and amplify stories from historically marginalized communities.

Waithe will also make her theatrical acting debut in the production, starring alongside Courtney Sauls and Megalyn Echikunwoke. Directed by BCS Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb, "trinity" is set entirely in a single room where three people slip between fantasy and reality, acting out moments they feel unable to live in real life. What begins as playful role-play evolves into a layered exploration of longing, connection, and the emotional legacies passed between mothers, friends, and lovers.

The play blends the rhythms of romantic comedy with the depth of existential drama, described as intimate, funny, and quietly unsettling. BCS portrays it as a bold, genre-defying work that examines love, identity, and the transformative power of imagination. In a statement, Waithe shared, “Stepping into playwriting in this way feels both thrilling and deeply personal. This production holds so much heart and intention. It’s about telling the truth boldly and creating space for voices and stories that deserve to be seen and felt. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built and excited to share it with audiences. ” Director Walker-Webb added, “It's an honor that BCS will be the home of my good friend Lena Waithe’s playwright debut. This production is layered, intimate, and alive with feeling—one that invites audiences back again and again to catch each quiet shift, every emotional turn and the powerful truths unfolding just beneath the surface. ”

As an openly lesbian Black artist, Waithe has long centered emotional honesty and complex relationships in her work, from the iconic Thanksgiving episode of "Master of None" featuring Angela Bassett to the ongoing series "The Chi", Showtime's longest-running Black drama. Hillman Grad's portfolio underscores this commitment, including "Queen & Slim", "Twenties", "The 40-Year-Old Version", "Dear White People", "Beauty", "Chang Can Dunk", and the Emmy-nominated "Being Mary Tyler Moore". Festival successes like the Grand Jury Prize-winning "A Thousand and One" and award-winning "Kokomo City" at Sundance further highlight the company's role in elevating diverse voices. Recently, Hillman Grad launched "Legacy Talk", a podcast on Black trailblazers in entertainment.

This stage transition represents a milestone for Waithe, offering live audience interaction and real-time creative testing in theater. Tickets are available through Baltimore Center Stage. While no future productions beyond Baltimore have been announced, "trinity" positions itself as a key moment in contemporary theater, particularly for LGBTQ+ and Black artists seeking new platforms for intimate storytelling.