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 Nick, 5th Grade, Pritzker School
Letters
That's Weird, Grandma
Other Venues
Wilmette 2007
Dear Pear,
You are lucky because you have a good view of the city. I would like it if you consider changing places with me.
Sincerely,
Apple
Dear Apple,
Your idea is weird and no I do not want to change with you. I like it here. We can’t switch anyway we are attached to the branch.
I hate you,
Pear
By Caleb C., 2nd Grade, Cleveland School
True Stories
That's Weird, Grandma
Other Venues
Wilmette 2007
I remember when my pants fell down when I went across the street. Everyone screamed. That was in day care. I couldn’t pull it up. I was holding two hands. That’s why I couldn’t pull up my pants.
I think that’s pretty funny now. My friend Alex screamed the loudest. I will always buckle my pants now.
By Gabrielle C., 5th Grade, Henry Suder School
True Stories
Holidays
Valentine's Day
That's Weird, Grandma
Other Venues
TOTL 2006
Wilmette 2007
One day I meet this boy at the movies. He was looking at me and I was looking at him. He was fine, sexy, adorable, wonderful. It was so much I had to say. I knew he was the one. My friend Tenisha asked him did he want to go with me he said yea he asked what was my name I said Re-Re. Then he asked how old I were that really caught me. I said 13. Now he asked for my phone number and I said 1-800 talk to you later. And I ran. But after all he caught me by the car he asked if I was really 13. I told the truth that I was 12 years old. I had to tell him because it was hurting me inside. So he said OK because he was really 12. So I found out that it is no reason to lie. Because someone might be the same age as you. Or have the same problem. The End. *I Hope I See Him Again*
By David E., 5th Grade, Harold Washington Elementary
Dialogues
That's Weird, Grandma
Other Venues
Storefront 2002
Wilmette 2007
Orderer: I want a car.
Owner: What car?
Orderer: Just a car.
Owner: I can’t deal with you right now. CLICK.
NEXT DAY
Orderer: Hello I want a car.
Owner: It’s you again…What do you want.
Orderer: A car.
Owner: Never come back.
Orderer: I’m not coming here anymore.
Owner: Fine.
Orderer: Fine, Fine, Fine. CLICK.
By Brandon S., Reavis Academy
Songs
Podcasts
That's Weird, Grandma
Tape measure villain.
Tape Measure villain.
Went into town. He took out his measure tape. He taped all the people up. Put them in his lair. He put them in a pot and ate them. He will tape the whole earth. And then he will be the ruler of the earth. And then the people will be his slaves.
The End
By Giovanny M., 4th Grade, Seward School
True Stories
Songs
Podcasts
That's Weird, Grandma
I remember that I went to my friends house then I got happy cause we watched a movie and we talked to each other that made me happy, and I was sad cause one day I never went back to his house cause we moved to a other house and I never got to see my friend again. Once I was happy that we went to the park and we played so much and one day I was sad cause we never got to play in the park again. I remember too that once I rode my bike and I had fun and I could ride past and I was happy but one day I was gonna ride my bike outside then there was nothing so I started to cry. So now I can not ride my bike any more and now I don’t have nothing to do in my house just watch the t.v. and once I had playstation 2 but we went to our house we looked all over it and there was nothing so then I got so so sad and cry. And when I moved I went to a new school and I made new friends so I got happy cause I made new friends. And I had a hamster and one day I play with my hamster and a other day he die and I got sad and cried. And I liked my uncle and he died. I miss all of the once that died and I mist all of them and I am sad.
By Monesha W., Gale School
Arguments
That's Weird, Grandma
I am miss walls I am 50 years old.
I believe there should be gumdrops for rain
My first reason is we could eat the rain
My second reason is the people who are huge for candy in it’s raining they could go out side for gumdrops.
My third reason is that every body would be happy
In conclusion, I believe that I love gum drops.
I am miss raffle I am 51 years old I believe that Ice cram is good for you is made out of milk and we shall have to eat it all the time and you could make it out of milk shake with strawberry and chocolate and vanilla with chocolate chips.
By Wendy G., Cleveland School
Dialogues
That's Weird, Grandma
W: Hi Nancy, how are you?
N: Hi I’m fine, and you?
W: I’m fine too.
N: What are you doing here?
W: Nothing just walking around the mall.
W: And you?
N: I’m looking for a beautiful dress because I’m going to a wedding on Friday.
W: Really!
N: Oh! I forgot to tell you that it’s our best friend wedding.
W: Uh-ha, and who is she? (asking angry)
N: It’s Josselyn’s wedding.
W: Why didn’t she envited me too? Huh?
N: I don’t know!
N: You know what I’ll call her and ask her why didn’t she envite you. OK.
W: OK. See you tomorrow because I got to go. OK.
Narrator: Next day Wendy was walking in the park.
J: Hi Wendy
By Angelo D., 4th Grade, Columbia Explorers Academy
That's Weird, Grandma
One time there were two Brothers named stingie and hater. One day the brothers went to eat there favorite trix. One of the Brothers Stingie took all the trix but hater didn’t get any. Also there was no more milk too so hater got so mad he threw his bowl at stingie’s head. So they started fighting over the cereal because hater wanted some. But hater forgot that they each had there own box of trix. Then they forgot all about it &hellips; and hugged each other and ate together.
By Jocelyn P., 4th Grade, Lee School
Songs
That's Weird, Grandma
Other Venues
Wilmette 2008
Once upon a time there was a girl named Hope. And she had a mom named Liz and a father named Ricky and one day they went to a picnic and they are going to have their picnic at Bird Island so the took there binoculars. When they got there it was really crowded and luckly they found a perfect spot. Suddenly they saw fireworks and birds flying away to live many birds died and only a few lived. To remember the birds who died the holday would be called Tragic Fireworks.