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Bauer Boucher Playwriting Award Winners

Premiere Stages is proud to announce the winners of the Bauer Boucher Playwriting Award! Kean University students Goodness Kehinde (Class of ‘26), Samantha Pugliese (Class of ’26), Layla Welsh (Class of ’28) and Alexandra Wuethrich (Class of ‘26) are the winners of the student award and Sahirah Z. Johnson (Class of ‘17) is the winner of the alumni award. 

Kehinde, Pugliese and Welsh’s plays will be presented in a reading on Thursday, January 15, for the Kean Department of Theatre students. Wuethrich and Johnson’s plays will be presented in a reading on Tuesday, January 20, at Lantern Hill Senior Living, the residence of Premiere Stages donors W. John Bauer and Nancy Boucher. 

All readings will be directed by Premiere Stages Producing Artistic Director John J. Wooten.
 

A woman with a friendly smile is posed confidently against a neutral background. She wears a colorful checkered shirt, adding vibrancy to the portrait. Her arms are crossed

A Different Kind of Arrival

By Goodness Kehinde

While waiting for their client at the airport, rookie bodyguard Lexi and seasoned bodyguard Bob discuss the highs and lows of the job, and the incoming flight’s arrival brings a surprise.

Student Winner

A young woman with short curly hair poses confidently against a plain backdrop. She wears a red top and a simple necklace, exuding a sense of self-assurance and individuality.

The Three of Us, Always

By Samantha Pugliese

A week after their mother dies, George and Stephanie have to decide whether to keep or sell the family home. As trinkets are packed and memories emerge, the siblings are forced to explore their intimate familial relationships as they struggle to navigate the loss of their primary parent.

Student Winner

A woman with curly brown hair and glasses faces the camera with a subtle smile. She is wearing a white collared shirt under a beige sweater, set against a light gray background.

Seven Years

By Layla Welsh

After seven years together, Sara proposes to Jason and he says…no. The morning after, the two are forced to navigate the increasingly uncomfortable, awkward aftermath of the proposal, marked by silence, tension, and misunderstanding.

Student Winner

A woman with light brown hair smiles softly while standing against a sunlit brick wall. She wears a striped top, and string lights hanging on the wall

Baba Knows Best

By Alexandra Wuethrich

A grandmother and her young adult granddaughter are tasked with making pierogies for the holiday season. As Yeva slowly reveals details of her current relationship, Baba shares stories from her past in hopes of guiding her granddaughter toward better choices.

Student Winner

A woman with short, curly brown hair beams a warm smile. She wears small stud earrings and a black top.

The Window Seat

By Sahirah Z. Johnson

From the coveted window seat at JC’s Dinner, Jackie observes the rhythms, tensions, and calm desires of the people who pass through the diner, often imagining their inner lives as stories she may one day write. With stories unfolding faster than she can process them—on the page, in the diner, and within her own family, Jackie is forced to confront the limits of her strength and finally claim her voice, her body, and her future.

Alumni Winner

Upcoming readings

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