Next Step Theatre Festival Debuts in NYC with 19 New Works

May 27 – June 8, 2025

Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at A.R.T./New York

502 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019

Tickets: $29 for full productions; free with reservation for staged readings

More information: www.nextsteptheatrefest.com

The 2025 Next Step Theatre Festival will take place from May 27 to June 8 at the Jeffrey and Paula Gural Theatre at A.R.T./New York, located at 502 W 53rd Street in Manhattan. This brand-new festival brings together an impressive and diverse lineup of 19 new theatrical works, including full productions and staged readings, all centered on bold storytelling and emerging creative voices. Developed from the ground up by a grassroots collective of playwrights and theater-makers, the festival was born out of a simple question: what would happen if a group of writers pooled their resources and produced work together in New York City? The answer, as it turns out, is a two-week-long celebration of theatre that is as community-driven as it is artistically daring.

Audiences can expect an eclectic mix of drama, comedy, musical theatre, and staged readings, with performances spanning topics from identity and social justice to artificial intelligence, ambition, and personal transformation. The festival is designed not only to showcase new work but to serve as a laboratory for collaboration, growth, and discovery. Tickets for full productions are $29, while the staged readings are free with reservation, allowing accessibility to anyone eager to witness the creative process at its most vibrant and raw.

Among the many compelling productions, a few stand out: The Glitch, a futuristic drama about AI and emotional longing; Ocean in a Teacup, a sweeping musical set during India’s independence movement; and Orientation, a powerful, character-driven piece set in a domestic violence shelter. There’s also Next Big Hit, a musical exploring the dark side of televised fame, and a new adaptation of Little Women that reframes the March sisters’ journey through the lens of modern adolescence and ambition. And for those seeking something unexpected, the festival offers dark comedies like Hollywood Treatment and introspective pieces like Well, Here We Are that explore relationships over a lifetime.

Though it’s the festival’s debut year, the enthusiasm and collaborative energy behind it suggest this will be the first of many. By providing a space where new voices can take creative risks, the Next Step Theatre Festival offers an exciting new platform for emerging artists to find their footing—and take the next step. More information and reservations are available at www.nextsteptheatrefest.com.