NextStop Theatre Launches New Work Development Series NEXTDRAFT
The Herndon-based company will present public readings of two new plays this spring.
NextStop Theatre Company has announced the launch of NextDraft, a new reading series dedicated to developing in-progress theatrical works. The initiative will bring playwrights together for a weeklong workshop process, culminating in a public reading and structured audience feedback session.
The program is designed to give audiences insight into the creative process while supporting playwrights as they refine scripts toward world premiere production drafts. NextDraft reflects the company’s continued focus on new voices and contemporary storytelling.
The inaugural series will feature two new works this spring.
THE SECOND BEST SCHOOL SHOOTING
Written by Alice Stanley Jr.
Public Reading: April 13, 2026 at 7:00 PM
In this dark comedy, two best friends attempt to process surviving a school shooting that is overshadowed by a more widely covered tragedy on the same day in a wealthier neighborhood. The play examines grief, visibility, and the uneven ways communities respond to crisis.
Stanley’s work spans theatre, film, television, and podcasts. Her credits include writing and producing for SAY MORE, created by Amy Poehler, as well as work on BUSY TONIGHT and the feature film Moxie.
GRASS AIN’T GREENER
Written by Evan Carrington
Public Reading: June 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM
This ensemble period dramedy follows a group of Black actors filming one of the first all-Black talkies as their production faces threats from the Ku Klux Klan. The play explores collaboration, resilience, and the pressures of working under hostile circumstances.
Carrington, originally from Baltimore, is an actor and writer whose recent play Save My Black Soul had a sold-out run at Laurel Mill Playhouse.
NextStop Theatre Company, based in Herndon, Virginia, is a professional regional theatre located near Reston Town Center and the Herndon Silver Line Metro Station. The company produces mainstage productions and educational programming and receives support from organizations including The Town of Herndon, ArtsFairfax, The Virginia Commission for the Arts, and The Shubert Foundation.
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