Writers Launch Next Step Theatre Festival In NYC To Debut New Works

A bold new addition to the New York theater scene will make its debut this spring as the inaugural Next Step Theatre Festival opens May 27 at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at ART/NY.

Featuring 19 original productions and staged readings, the two-week festival promises an eclectic lineup of new voices and fresh perspectives across drama, comedy, musical theatre, and more. Running through June 8, the festival brings together a diverse group of emerging playwrights, composers, and performers from across the country, each presenting new work in a space built for creative risk-taking and collaboration.

Founded by a collective of playwrights, the festival was born out of a simple question: What if artists pooled their resources to produce new work together?

“The Next Step Theatre Festival began with a simple ‘what if’ conversation,” says founder and composer Joel Krantz. “What if a few writers teamed up to share the costs of producing a show in NYC? Maybe we could support each other — financially and creatively. Would anyone be interested?”

It turns out there was a lot of interest.

“The word went out through writers groups, theatre chat rooms, Facebook posts, and email threads. The response was immediate: Yes, we need this!’ ‘Lets do it!’ ‘How can I help? What began as a question quickly grew into a movement — writers supporting other writers, all taking the next step together. The result? The Next Step Theatre Festival: 15 writers, 34 performances, and two thrilling weeks of original theatre.”

The festivals lineup reflects a broad range of genres and themes — from the AI-driven existential drama “The Glitch” to the romantic comedy-musical “The Curse of Batvia,” the timely domestic violence story “Orientation,” and the sweeping historical musical “Ocean in a Teacup,” set during Indias fight for independence.

Highlights include “Apples for August,” a poetic solo performance by Anushka Kar about interracial young love in a sun-drenched orchard; “The Guest at Central Park West” by Levy Lee Simon, a tense dinner party that unpacks race, privilege, and reconciliation; “Next Big Hit,” a behind-the-scenes look at the perils of fame and ambition in the music industry, told through a high-energy musical format; and “Little Women,” a faithful yet modern-feeling adaptation of Louisa May Alcotts novel, exploring identity and womanhood through the eyes of the March sisters.

Other entries include dark comedies (“Hollywood Treatment”), dramatic reimaginings (“Stowaway to Paradise”), and plays rooted in social justice (“Orientation”).

The festival is also a celebration of process, as not every entry is a polished production. The festival aims to give writers and creatives space to experiment. With staged readings, concerts, and full-scale productions, the Next Step Theatre Festival invites New Yorkers to witness the early spark of tomorrows most exciting theater-makers.

Tickets for full productions are $29, while staged readings are free with reservation. More information is available at nextsteptheatrefest.com.