UNION – Premiere Stages, the professional theatre company in residence at Kean University, has named the Kean University students and alum who have won the 2026 Bauer Boucher Playwriting Awards. This year Premiere Stages recognizes the work of four student playwrights, Goodness Kehinde (Class of ‘26), Samantha Pugliese (Class of ’26), Layla Welsh (Class of ’28) and Alexandra Wuethrich (Class of ‘26). Alumnus Sahirah Z. Johnson (Class of ‘17) is the winner of the Alumni Playwriting Award. The Bauer Boucher Playwriting Awards are named for longtime donors W. John Bauer and Nancy Boucher. All winners received a cash prize and a oneday developmental reading of their plays with a professional cast and director.