Emmy Award-winning creator Lena Waithe is breaking new ground in her career. The accomplished screenwriter and producer has written her first stage play, Trinity, which premiered on February 12, 2026.
Baltimore Center Stage is hosting the world premiere. Director Stevie Walker-Webb leads the production, with Avon Haughton serving as dramaturg and associate director.
A New Creative Venture for the Emmy Winner
Waithe has built her reputation in film and television. Now she’s stepping into the theatrical realm with confidence and curiosity.
The play marks a significant departure from her previous work. Theater demands different skills than screen writing. Yet Waithe has embraced the challenge with characteristic boldness.
Trinity Explores Love, Reality, and Imagination
The story unfolds in a single room with three characters. They move fluidly between reality and imagination throughout the production.
These characters act out moments they’re too afraid to confront in real life. The playful dynamic evolves into deeper examinations of intimacy and connection.
Emotional baggage plays a central role in the narrative. The play explores how people carry their past into new relationships. Walker-Webb describes it as “a romcom on the surface” but “existential in its bone marrow.”
Self-Reflection Sparked the Writing Process
Waithe wrote Trinity during a period of personal growth. She was actively trying to understand life’s lessons at the time.
“I think I was living life in all its forms as I always do, but at that time I really was trying to understand the lessons that life was trying to teach me,” she explained. The play began before she fully processed those lessons.
She started sending pages to Walker-Webb early in the process. Their collaboration grew organically from there. The creative partnership proved essential to the play’s development.
Breaking Theatrical Conventions With Bold Choices
Walker-Webb initially doubted Waithe had time to write a play. “There’s no way Lena Waithe has time to write a play,” he recalled thinking.
However, the arriving pages quickly changed his perspective. “I was really blown away by it,” he said of the early drafts.
What impressed him most was Waithe’s willingness to ignore convention. “She just kept breaking form,” Walker-Webb explained. For some audience members, the play might even “feel like psychological horror.”
The Stage Offers Unique Creative Freedom
Film and television rely heavily on specific locations. Theater allows space to remain more fluid and suggestive.
Trinity takes full advantage of this theatrical freedom. Much of the space is suggested rather than explicitly shown.
This approach allows the audience’s imagination to participate actively. The fluidity enhances the play’s exploration of reality versus imagination.
Baltimore Becomes an Artistic Home
The production’s Baltimore location was a deliberate choice. Waithe could have premiered in New York or Los Angeles instead.
Haughton, a Baltimore native, credits his hometown with shaping his identity. The collaboration with Waithe felt natural and organic.
“Making art here, this is an artistic home for her; there was no making it fit,” Haughton said. The city became part of the creative process itself.
A Collaborative Relationship Built on Trust
The director-writer relationship depends on genuine mutual trust. Walker-Webb described a rehearsal room where Waithe occupied multiple roles simultaneously.
As a writer, Waithe proves rigorous and precise. “Lena will send tweaks and edits 15 times in a day,” Walker-Webb noted.
She remains “hungry for the next best draft” throughout the process. Her perfectionism drives the production toward excellence. Walker-Webb has also witnessed her talent as an actor shine through.
Embracing the Unpredictability of Live Theater
Opening night brings unique pressures unlike film or television. There are no retakes in live performance.
“If it doesn’t go as well as you want it to, it’s okay—on to the next night,” Waithe said. Each performance stands on its own merits.
“You just have to honor and own your performance no matter what it was,” she added. The Emmy winner finds the craft “therapeutic” at times.
Theater as Personal and Audience Reflection
Trinity represents more than just a new medium for Waithe. The play marks a creative leap in her already distinguished career.
Haughton emphasized the participatory nature of meaningful art. “Any piece of art worth a damn is always implicating the person perceiving it,” he stated.
At Baltimore Center Stage, Waithe tests this proposition directly. She invites audiences not just to watch passively. Instead, viewers are challenged to see themselves reflected in the story.
A Limited Run Through March 2026
Trinity premiered on February 12 at Baltimore Center Stage. The production runs through March 8, 2026.
Theater lovers have limited time to experience this world premiere. The show offers a unique glimpse into Waithe’s expanding artistic vision.
This marks just the beginning of her theatrical journey. Lena Waithe continues proving she can excel across multiple creative mediums. Her fearless approach to storytelling translates powerfully to the stage.