How one woman stopped waiting for permission, transformed rejection into an award-winning career and discovered that our greatest setbacks often become the stories the world needs most.
In this episode, we jazz things up with Trey Anthony - an award-winning playwright, bestselling author of the bestselling book Black Girl in Love (With Herself), speaker, mentor and creator of the groundbreaking play ‘da Kink in My Hair, which grew from a 70-seat Toronto Fringe production into an internationally acclaimed stage show and Gemini Award-winning television series.
A trailblazer in storytelling, her work explores love, mental health, identity, and the resilience of Black women with honesty, humor, and heart. Through her writing and speaking, she inspires audiences around the world to embrace healing, authenticity, and the courage to reinvent themselves.
Raised by her Jamaican grandmother, Trey grew up believing she was capable of something extraordinary. But when the acting world kept offering stereotypical roles that failed to reflect the depth of Black women’s lives, her grandmother offered one simple piece of advice: write something better.
That decision changed everything.
Years later, after building an award-winning career, Trey faced another unexpected turning point. Financial loss, heartbreak, single motherhood and the collapse of dreams she thought defined success became the inspiration for some of her most honest and transformative work.
Today, she helps other creatives stop waiting for permission, embrace their authenticity and finally tell the stories only they can tell.
In this episode, we stop waiting for permission…
* How one conversation with her grandmother inspired Trey to stop waiting for opportunities and start creating her own
* Why authenticity-not perfection-is what audiences truly connect with
* How ‘da Kink in My Hair grew from a tiny Fringe Festival production into an international theatrical phenomenon
* Why not knowing the “rules” of theatre became one of Trey’s greatest creative advantages
* Why artists need to stop waiting until they’re “ready” and simply begin
* How financial loss, single motherhood and unexpected life changes inspired Confessions of a Black Girl Who Should Have Known Better
* Why our greatest shame often becomes the story that helps someone else heal
* How letting go of old dreams can create space for the life we’re actually meant to live
* Why creativity, vulnerability and honesty will always outlast perfection
* How Play in a Box is empowering aspiring writers and performers to transform their stories into powerful live shows
Together, Cindy and Trey explore what happens when we stop asking for permission, trust our own voice and realize that the very experiences we once tried to hide may become our greatest gifts to the world.
Highlights from her career…
Connect with Trey
* Website
* Instagram
Applause-Worthy Moments
“If you write from a level of authenticity and a level of truth, people will find themselves in your work.”
“I didn’t allow myself to rethink the process because I didn’t know there was a process.”
“People like messy because all of us are a bit messy.”
“You are never going to be fully ready.”
“If not now, when?”
“Every single time something happens to you that you think is the worst thing that could possibly happen to you, it is the universe—or God—nudging you to say, ‘People need to hear from you.’”
“The dream that I imagined... do I really want that dream at this point in my life?”
Next in the Spotlight!
We are super jazzed you joined us for another episode of Bringing Broadway to France: Bridging Humanity, One Story at a Time.
Next week, you will meet Christopher Wilson who dishes on transforming life's darkest moments into powerful art, finding light through adversity and why the stories we fear telling often have the greatest power to heal.
If this podcast inspired you, we invite you to join us on Substack. Subscribe for free to stay in the loop, or upgrade to a paid subscription to unlock exclusive content and personalized song dedications — while directly supporting production costs and my incredible team as we continue bringing you meaningful conversations with extraordinary artists from around the world.
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With love, sparkles and gratitude,Cindy and my amazing team (Ieva, Marj, and Ann)
P.S. For Artists, Creatives & Speakers
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