New York City, New York May 8, 2025 (Issuewire.com) - What happens after you win it all, but still feel lost?
Next Big Hit is a raw, exhilarating new musical that pulls back the curtain on the emotional cost of modern stardom and will make its public debut on Thursday, May 30, 2025, at The Gural Theatre in New York City. Presented as part of the Next Steps Festival, the show offers audiences a one-night-only first look at a story that dares to ask: Who are you, once the spotlight turns cold?
Directed by Broadway and television star Justin Guarini, with music and lyrics by Matthew Jordan, and produced by James Blount and Mimi Alvior, Next Big Hit follows Lara, a rising pop icon whose overnight success becomes a public battleground. As the comments, expectations, and headlines pile on, Lara fights to reclaim her voice in a world that refuses to stop watching.
“It’s a show about what happens after the confetti falls — when you stand alone in the spotlight and there are no shadows to hide in,” says writer Austin Foster. “We talk so much about the climb. This is about what comes next.”
This performance is a reading — a developmental presentation designed to showcase the script and music in their rawest, most immediate form. With actors performing scripts in hand and minimal staging or technical elements, the focus is entirely on the story, voices, and emotional power of the material. It’s a rare opportunity to witness the birth of a new musical in an intimate and unfiltered setting.
With a sharp, contemporary voice, a dynamic original score, and a script rooted in real-life emotion, Next Big Hit taps into the anxieties and illusions of today’s fame-obsessed culture, not from a pedestal, but from the inside.
EVENT DETAILS:
Date: Thursday, May 30, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM
Location: The Gural Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres
Address: 502 W 53rd Street, New York, NY 10019
Tickets: Reserve Here
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Next Big Hit is a gripping, emotionally charged new musical exploring how it feels to be everyone’s story but your own. A staged reading featuring a powerhouse cast, this exclusive event offers a first glimpse at a show that is bold, current, and destined for more.
CREATIVE TEAM:
Written by: Austin Foster
Directed by: Justin Guarini
Music & Lyrics by: Matthew Jordan
Produced by: James Blount & Mimi Alvior
ABOUT THE WRITER:
Next Big Hit began as a dream scribbled between shifts and built on off-the-clock hours. When writer Austin Foster and producer James Blount first connected, all they had was a shared spark — a rough idea of a story about chasing fame and finding truth.
“We set out to build a show about living the dream — and somewhere along the way, we discovered our own,” says Foster.
"Next Big Hit" brings together real-world pressure, online culture, and an artist’s need to speak their truth — loud, clear, and unapologetically onstage.
Next Big Hit is as much about finding your voice on stage as it is about daring to use it offstage.
Media Contact
Theatre 33 Productions *****@yahoo.com https://www.theatre33productions.com/home
