PlayMakers Laboratory Story Archive
Tickets are On Sale for CELEBRATION OF AUTHORS 2026 on June 27!
Attire: Fancy Schmancy where you can come Fancy – dressed to the nines in your best attire. Or you can come Schmancy – with a silly hat or funny outfit that expresses YOU!
You can bid on our amazing Silent Auction Prizes at the event, or remotely from anywhere! Silent Auction items include: A Trip to Mexico with Vidanta Resorts, A Sailing Excursion, An At-Home Dungeons & Dragons Session, Dining Packages, Sports Tickets, Theatre Tickets, and MORE! Stay tuned for a preview and get those bids ready!
This is the most affordable & most FUN Gala in town!
Tickets include food, drinks, a show, and activities for all ages!
EARLY BIRD Adult Tickets (available through 5/31)—$50
EARLY BIRD Youth Tickets, ages 4 to 15 (available through 5/31)—$35
Adult Regular Tickets —$75
Youth Regular Tickets, ages 4 to 15 —$50
Children 3 years of age and under can attend for FREE
Because PlayMakers’ students rock, they typically go on to do exciting things. Every year, we use our banquet to honor a special alum. This year’s Annual Storyteller of the Year Award goes to Isabella Wilhemy Sanchez. Isabella is a special effects make up designer, and former PlayMakers Laboratory student!!!
Isabella Wilhelmy Sanchez has been in the performing arts ever since she was a student at Play Makers Laboratory. She graduated as a theater major from Lincoln Park High School and has been working in the Chicago Indie film scene working on shorts like The Crossing 2020, Perfectly Sane 2025, Wild Party 2025 and I Only Sleep When The Room Is Pitch Black 2025. Isabella has worked under Chicago based makeup artist Anthony Kosar learning more of the makeup profession and learning skills like laying beards and applying prosthetics to create characters/monsters. Isabella’s passion for story telling was nurtured by the teaching artists at PML and is thrilled to join us at the Celebration of Authors gala to share more of her journey, and to celebrate creatives of all ages in Chicago.
Can’t attend our party? We’ll miss you! Consider donating to support arts education in Chicago. Thank you!
This event is a fundraiser to support PML’s outstanding creative writing programming in partnership with Chicago Public Schools. 100% of the tickets proceeds will support PML classes! For 29 years PlayMakers Laboratory has served Chicago Public School students by providing a creative writing residency program aimed primarily at elementary schools. Our company of over 60 teaching artists utilizes creative drama and storytelling to promote literacy and self esteem during our in-school residencies and park district programming. Each year, our programs serve more than 4,000 young people across Chicago. In our 6 week writing residencies, a whopping 88% of students improve writing scores by at least one level over the course of our residencies. Plus, 100% of classroom teachers report that our program supports their student’s writing and improves confidence and self-esteem.
Wintrust Bank
Forward Space
The Chicago Community Trust,
Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events,
The Crown Family Philanthropies,
The Field Foundation,
The Illinois Arts Council
The Mardi Gras Fund,
The Paul M. Angell Foundation,
The Polk Bros Foundation,
The Siragusa Family Foundation,
And generous Individuals like you!
The National Museum of Mexican Art has a ramp and is accessible to wheelchairs, both manual and electric. PML staff are not able to assist patrons transferring to or from a wheelchair, theatre seat or vehicle. Service animals are permitted. At this time there is not a planned usage of audio descriptions, Open Captioning, or for ASL interpreters to be in attendance. For any additional accessibility information or requests, please email admin@playmakerslab.org.
By Justin H, South Loop
Arguments
Holidays
Halloween
That's Weird, Grandma
You can get more candy when you trick or treat in Westwood in the suburbs.
1. You can stay late and get more without paying
2. Every house has decorations and people are there
3. Some people leave candy in a bowl on the porch, so you can take as much as you want.
By Araya C, 3rd Grade, Gale School
That's Weird, Grandma
Celebration of Authors
COA 2007
Once there was two scientist named Alex and Chris and they were building vases for people and they made 8 vases for people and they call the people to deliver the vases to other people’s house but the people have to keep there babies away from the vases because the babies will brake them and if your baby would crawl or walk you would have to move your baby cause baby would cut there selfs on there hand or feet that is why you need to keep you baby way from glass and if you have a baby at you house keep it away from your vase or just get a taller table so your baby can’t break your beautiful vase and watch out for your baby ok. Cause little kids the age of 5 or7 don’t let them touch your vase and babies under the age of 1 months to 8 months Don’t let them touch your stuff or else they will brake your stuff so you need to watch out for your babies.
By Ninfa L, 4th Grade, Seward School
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time there were two girls that were twins. And they were princesses. Because the two girls were Candy, Dandy are sisters that they both are the daughters of the King and Queen.
The two of the girls were really mean and the servant always clean their mess when their father tell them to clean the room. The servant had to do the work but the two sisters pay 20 bucks for cleaning their room that the servant live happy because he would get 1,000 bucks from the king and queen
The End.
By Cedric T, 7th Grade, Loyola Park After School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
Celebration of Authors
COA 2007
Are you not good for college? And your mom told you to go find a job? Well head on to 3 day college! Where you learn for 3 days and move all your stuff out again. For only $1,000 dollars you will learn a hour a day and don’t do nothing for the rest of the day. 3 Day college is only good for 3 days. Don’t complain because you cant always have it your way!! Lists are filling up NOW!! CALL TODAY CALL 1251-3067
By Sydney B., 6th Grade, Loyola Park After School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
There once was a doctor who was helping a family find a treasure. He was knocking at the wall to find it. He finally found where it was but had to cut a hole in the wall the sister Tanina said, “what is the treasure” the mom (Kiki) and dad (Fezan) said “it is a surprise” her older sister said “is it money, food, a bowling alley” The brother said “is it a talking blue guitar, farting dog, or a talking soup can.” The doctor butted in after that and said it was an ancient Chinese tomb that could bring you anything you want.
By Thelma P, Loyola Park After School Program
Songs
Monkeys Come Alive
That's Weird, Grandma
Other Venues
TOTL 2006
One a pan a time 1 big family live in China they need to look out on the cows and bulls. One day they were countin them and one cow was missing they will lost there job if they don’t find the cow. One day the little girl find the cow but the cow was like a statue. The yougs girl have an idea the take a bath and the plan work. The plan was to make a bath tub for the cow and they take a bath too.
By Galen Y., Hough Street School
True Stories
That's Weird, Grandma
Hello my name is Ryan and this morning when I was eating my cereal I turned my back and when I turned back all my cereal was all over the table. As you already know my name is Ryan but what I really need help with is to find out who dumped my cereal all over the table! Do you think you can help? Well then. Let’s get to work. Here’s what I know. I woke up this morning very hungry so I went in the kitchen and asked for breakfast My dad said how about cheerios I pointed (that means O.K.) as my dad poured the milk he said mm good eats, My sister Riley asked me for a tiny bite, and my brother Chase well he can’t talk so I guess he can’t be the bandit. My mom loves cheerios. Maybe it was her? But I can’t say it was first, need all the information!
By Nana, Loyola Park AFter School Program
Songs
That's Weird, Grandma
Once there was a hot groom named Michael Robinson. The hot part does not mean he looked good it means if you kiss or hugged him you will burn. One day the lady he was dating proposed to him. He accepted it so when they got married the minister said you may kiss the bride then the lady’s whole entire front side was burned. The detective figured out he was a hot groom. Case Closed.
By Richard R., 4th Grade, Grover Cleveland Elementary
Songs
That's Weird, Grandma
Celebration of Authors
COA 2007
Other Venues
Wilmette 2008
One day somebody trip somebody next the other person hit him. Next somebody hit him and the fight began. Next somebody hit him so hard that he started too bleed he got so mad that he farted like a bomb KaBoom! Everybody came out from the house and the fight continue. Next the mayor, the cops, came everybody went to the ground and next somebody told the person who farted to fart again so he did kaboom! The cops and the mayor said oh my god. They mayor, the cops went to the ground the people who fighted were arrested the mayor, cops and everybody escape. And they never fighted again.
The end
By Deamond D., Imani T., Charles S., Alexandra J., Jocelyn H., 3rd Grade, Harold Washington School
That's Weird, Grandma
Other Venues
Storefront 2002
Once upon a time there were two boys named Patrick and Sponge Bob. They were walking in a walking park. They saw a museum that said “Free.” They looked up into the sky and saw a flying pink bear with steel wings. They said, “Hey Pinky, get down from here!” Then Pinky flies down and says, “Hi. Have you ever heard of opposite day?” Patrick said, “yeah.” Then Pinky tells them all about opposite day. “When is opposite day?” “Opposite day is February 6th.” And they all went to Pinky’s cave.