Lena Waithe Sets Playwriting & Stage Acting Debut With Self-Penned ‘trinity’ At Baltimore Center Stage

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy Award–winning writer, producer and actor Lena Waithe (Master of None, The Chi) will make her playwriting and stage acting debut with the self-penned trinity at Baltimore Center Stage next month.

Described by BSC as a “bold, intimate, and genre-defying new work,” trinity “explores love, identity, and the transformative power of imagination.”

The limited engagement runs February 12 through March 8, 2026, and stars Waithe in her theatrical acting debut, alongside Courtney Sauls (Dear White People, Legends) and Megalyn Echikunwoke (Weathering, Late Night), under the direction of BCS Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb.

“Stepping into playwriting in this way feels both thrilling and deeply personal,” said Waithe in a statement to Deadline. “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.”

The BSC production is being presented in association with Hillman Grad, Waithe’s production company-creative imprint and mentorship lab. The limited engagement of trinity runs February 12 through March 8, and stars Waithe in her theatrical acting debut, alongside Courtney Sauls (Dear White People, Legends) and Megalyn Echikunwoke (Weathering, Late Night), under the direction of BCS Artistic Director Stevie Walker-Webb.

“It’s an honor that BCS will be the home of my good friend Lena Waithe’s playwright debut,” said Walker-Webb. “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.”

No word as of yet on possible future New York plans for the project.

The synopsis: “In a single room, three women slip between fantasy and reality, acting out the moments they’re too afraid to live in real life. What begins as playful role-play becomes a raw excavation of longing, connection, and the emotional legacies passed between mothers, sisters, and lovers. Blending the sharp wit of a romantic comedy with the searching depth of an existential drama, trinity is a lyrical, nuanced portrait of womanhood that’s as funny as it is fearless.”

Waithe founded Hillman Grad with a mission to empower and provide industry access to underrepresented artists and amplify the stories of diverse and historically marginalized communities across film and television. Hillman Grad projects include The Chi – Showtime’s longest-running Black drama series; Universal Pictures’ Queen and Slim, BET’s Twenties; Netflix’s The 40-Year-Old Version, Dear White People and Beauty; Disney+’s Chang Can Dunk; and the Emmy-nominated HBO Max documentary Being Mary Tyler Moore.

At the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Hillman Grad premiered two award-winning features: A Thousand and One (Grand Jury Prize, U.S. Dramatic Competition) distributed by Focus Features, and Kokomo City (NEXT Audience Award, NEXT Innovator Award), distributed by Magnolia Pictures.

In 2024, Waithe expanded Hillman Grad’s storytelling platform with the launch of Legacy Talk, an award-winning podcast series that offers a curated and personal look into the careers of iconic Black trailblazers across the entertainment industry. The podcast is now in its second season.