What do these monumental events have in common: the first Black woman to star at the Metropolitan Opera, the election of the first female leader of a Muslim country, and the discovery of the polio vaccine? None of those would have been possible if not for THE SENTINELS: a secret all-female society operating out of a university in Milwaukee. This is their story.

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

What if a few writers joined forces to share the costs of mounting a show in NYC? What if we supported each other—not just financially, but creatively too? Would anyone be interested?

The question went out through writers’ groups, theatre chat rooms, and email chains. The response was immediate: Yes, we need this. Yes, let’s do it.

What started as a “what if” quickly grew into something much bigger—a festival fueled by writers supporting writers, each one ready to take the next step together.

And so, the Next Step Theatre Festival was born.

Today, it features 15 writers and 34 performances—a true testament to what happens when artists lift each other up.