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The Bauer Boucher Playwriting Awards

Recognizing the work of Kean's playwrights.
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The Bauer Boucher Playwriting Awards, established in 2014 by Premiere Stages supporters W. John Bauer and Nancy Boucher, recognize the work of one Kean student and one Kean alumnus each year. The Bauer Boucher Awards give Kean University writers greater visibility, dramaturgical feedback, a cash award, and the opportunity to hear their plays read aloud by an ensemble of professional actors.

Premiere Stages accepts submissions for the Bauer Boucher each fall from writers currently attending or who have graduated from Kean University, and selects the Award-winning play in January. After the submission window closes in December, Premiere Stages staff and a select panel of playwrights, theatre professionals, and educators read the submissions. One writer will receive a $3000 award and a one-day developmental reading of their new play with a professional cast and director. Additional playwrights may be selected as finalists and awarded $100. Premiere Stages may choose multiple winners for the student and/or alumni award and divide the award amount between them, and may present all winning plays.  

Submissions open

NOV

13

2026

Submissions close

DEC

14

2026

Submission Guidelines

Available in PDF
  • Submissions are accepted November 13, 2026, through 11:59 p.m. on December 14, 2026. 
  • Playwrights must be current students in good academic standing OR graduates of Kean University.
  • Plays must be unpublished and have never received a professional production.
  • Previous winning plays and finalist plays are ineligible.  
  • Playwrights must be available for the development of their script (see schedule).
  • Students and alumni may submit the full text of an existing play. Completed scripts must be at least 10 pages long. Scripts that are in progress toward a full-length draft must contain at least 25 pages and include a scene breakdown for the unwritten scenes. 
  • Premiere Stages does not accept scripts that have been written in any part or enhanced in any way by generative AI. Our script evaluators, panelists, and staff will not upload or expose any script to AI, LLMs, or any other automated agent for any reason.
  • All plays must be submitted as a PDF via a submission portal that will be available here starting November 13.

All submissions should include:

  • A brief synopsis of the play (no more than half a page).
  • Character breakdown.
  • The playwright’s bio or resume.
  • The applicant’s year (or projected year) of graduation from Kean University.
  • Script: A completed play of at least 10 pages, OR at least 25 pages of the script that is currently being written, including a scene breakdown of the full play to be finished.

Questions or concerns

For any questions regarding the submission guidelines or process, please email us at pfsubmit@kean.edu.

2027
Schedule

Nov 13, 2026

Submissions open

Dec 14, 2026

Submissions close

Early Jan 2027

Finalists interviews

Mid Jan 2027

Winner and finalists selected

Late Jan 2027

Winners receive professional reading; date and locations TBA

Guidelines
History
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