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A scene from the Premiere Stages production of My Lord, What a Night

Premiere Stages

Full calendar of our upcoming performances

Premiere Stages serves the cultural needs of northern and central New Jersey by developing and producing high‑quality Equity theatre premieres, offering professional development and educational programs for campus and local communities, and supporting emerging playwrights and theatre artists. As Kean University’s professional theatre company in residence, Premiere Stages enriches the University’s specialized training programs while engaging a diverse audience, empowering underserved youth, and collaborating with the region’s many talented artists.

For more information, please visit premierestagesatkean.com. 

 

Current Shows

Current Shows

Student Opportunities

Premiere Stages works with the Kean University Theatre Conservatory and Kean Stage to create first-class, professional opportunities for all students at Kean University. Non-theatre majors can participate and apply for all of these opportunities.

Masterclasses

Guest artists teach carefully crafted masterclasses and participate in interactive question-and-answer sessions with Kean University students and members of the campus community.

A group of Kean University students posing with Lynn Nottage during a masterclass
Masterclasses

Internships

Premiere Stages offers internships for college students and recent graduates who have an interest in pursuing a career in theatre. Former interns have gone on to graduate programs and professional theatre careers.

A group of interns on the set of Brick City.
Internships

Bauer Boucher Playwriting Award

The Bauer Boucher Playwriting Awards recognizes the work of one Kean student each year. The Bauer Boucher Awards support Kean University writers with enhanced visibility, dramaturgical feedback, a cash award, and the opportunity to hear their plays read out loud by an ensemble of professional actors.

A young woman accepting an award from Art Director, John Wooten on the right
Bauer Boucher Playwriting Award

Past Productions

An African-American woman stands in front of banner that reads The Time is Now

2020 Production of Fannie Lou Hamer, Speak On It by Cheryl L. West, featuring Rema Webb
A Muslim family gathered around a table are excited. A man hands a paper to a woman

2019 Production of Yasmina’s Necklace
A woman, who is upset, reaches for a young man while a man holds and restrains her.

2018 Production of Linger

 
Two performers face each other in an indoor stage setting. One kneels while the other sits on a small stool. They reach toward each other with linked pinky fingers, suggesting a moment of connection or promise.

2022 Production of "Mud Row"
Two people sit on a stage floor in front of a backdrop showing a starry night sky over the ocean. One person gestures upward with an outstretched arm while the other sits beside them, watching attentively.

2023 Production of "Satellites"
Two people talk in a living-room stage set. One person, wearing traditional clothing, gestures with an open hand, while the other—also in traditional attire—holds a stack of papers or money. A kitchen area is visible in the background.

2023 Production of Selling Kabul
Two performers interact in a stage setting. One sits at a desk covered with books and papers, while the other stands wearing a long coat and hat. A shadow of the standing figure is cast prominently on the wall behind them.

2024 Production of "Still"
A group of three medical workers wearing blue scrubs sit and stand around a circular table in a break room. One person eats food from a container while another holds a drink. A doorway and wall-mounted dispensers are visible in the background.

2024 Production of "Diversion"
Two people sit on the edge of a wooden porch at night, with wooden deck chairs behind them. One person holds a bottle while the other sits with hands clasped. The scene is warmly lit against a dark, outdoor backdrop.

2025 Production of "Walden"

“Without organizations like Premiere Stages, new playwrights who bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the art form would rarely have their work see the light of day - much less get an opportunity to have fully staged, Equity production ...”

Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation