The Next Step Theatre Festival began with a simple “what if” conversation: 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?

The word went out through writers’ groups, theater chat rooms, Facebook posts, and email threads. The response was immediate: “Yes, we need this!” “Let’s 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 theater.