*Lena Waithe is expanding her creative reach with trinity, her first full-length theatrical work, debuting at Baltimore Center Stage. After years of shaping stories for television and film, the Emmy-winning writer and producer is stepping into live performance with a project she describes as both liberating and daunting.
According to Speaking to Baltimore Magazine, the production arrives as part of a larger effort by artistic director Stevie Walker-Webb to establish Baltimore Center Stage as a home for bold, original theater. In his first full season leading the institution, Walker-Webb staged major premieres that found life beyond Baltimore, setting the stage for another high-profile debut with Waithe’s arrival.
Written by and starring Waithe, trinity begins previews on Feb. 12 and unfolds within a tightly confined setting. The play centers on three individuals sharing one room, using that limited space to examine how family bonds, friendships, and romantic connections collide and overlap.
For its Baltimore run, the cast includes Courtney Sauls, Fedna Jacquet, and Waithe herself. However, Waithe intentionally avoided writing roles tied to specific identities, allowing future productions to cast the characters freely and inviting audiences to connect with the emotional stakes rather than the actors’ backgrounds.
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Walker-Webb, who directs the production, offered high praise when describing the play publicly. During a recent press conference, he called it “as if Jean Paul Sartre and Adrienne Kennedy had a baby…with all the swagger that is Lena Waithe,” adding, “It is definitely the coolest thing I’ve ever worked on.”
Despite her success on screen, Waithe acknowledged feeling uneasy entering an unfamiliar medium. “Yeah, it was intimidating,” she said, explaining that she reached out to acclaimed playwrights for guidance. Their advice ranged from Matthew Lopez urging her to “Always be chasing a better play,” to Lynn Nottage’s reminder to establish urgency early.
“I wanted to talk to these playwrights who have inspired me and ask, “What should I know?” Waithe told the publication.
Baltimore quickly emerged as the right place to take this leap. “This theater is on hallowed ground. It’s very sacred,” Waithe said, pointing to the legacy of artists who have worked there. She contrasted theater with screenwriting by emphasizing imagination, noting, “It brings out the inner child in you when you go see a play.”
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