PlayMakers Laboratory Story Archive
Silent Auction! Games! Food + Drinks! Open Bar for adult guests! 360 Photo Booth! And of course, LIVE performances of stories written by our students for the 2024/25 School Year!
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!
Adult Regular Priced Tickets —$75
Youth Regular Price Tickets, ages 4 to 15 —$50
Children 3 years of age and under can attend for FREE
Plus we will present the Annual Storyteller of the Year Award to author,
and PlayMaker alumni, Mary Winn Heider!
Mary Winn Heider is the author of over 30 books for kids, including THE LOSERS AT THE CENTER OF THE GALAXY, THE UNICORNS WHO SAVED CHRISTMAS, and THE STUPENDOUS SWITCHEROO series, which she co-created with Chad Sell. Mary Winn’s very first novel, THE MORTIFICATION OF FOVEA MUNSON, was based on her time working in a real life cadaver lab, and now that it’s a musical. In a School Library Journal column a few years ago, Betsy Bird wrote, “In an era of information overload, Mary Winn Heider is the author who will lead us through the pandemonium into the light.” Mary Winn’s books have been on state lists, appeared on Bank Street Best Books, received Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection status, been long-listed for the Edgar Award, and landed on Indies Introduce and Indie Next lists.But before all of that, Mary Winn was a company member with Playmakers Lab, where she spent a decade pretending to be a chicken, an astronaut, and a princess, and sometimes, all three at once.
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 28 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 utilize 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.
The Chicago Community Trust,
Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events,
The Crown Family Philanthropies,
The Field Foundation,
The Mardi Gras Fund,
The Paul M. Angell Foundation,
The Polk Bros Foundation,
The Siragusa Family Foundation,
And generous Individuals like you!
By Dana B., Prieto Math and Science Academy
It was the best day
I remember swimming with Josue
It was fun. I like to play with toys in the pool and the
Pool was warm. After swimming we go to
Chuck-e- cheese. We play games and
Eat pizza.
My mommy was take us.
We also went to grandma’s house
It was the best day …… ever.
By Cadence M., Kinzie Elementary School
One day in a science lab there was a new animal created by the scientist Darlene Reyes. The new creature was a chicken and a man. The chicken-man’s name is Chip and Chip loved to act. He even got a role in a movie. The movie was called Charlotte’s Web and he was Charlotte. Chip loved acting so much he decided The End.
By Johnathan, Lorca Elementary School
Once upon a time a dog called Kelly and she was a Chihuahua had three babies and the owner didn’t want to take care of four dogs so he made a dog sale and the mom dog took the dogs and lived happily ever after. The End.
By Leila F., Columbia Explorers Academy
Once upon a time there was a black hole. This black hole came out of nowhere. It sucked people into, well nowhere. Then one day a news reporter came to the hole. She realized there was the house of James Harper. He is an evil scientist who out things where they shouldn’t be.
By Bella D. and Taylor G., Loyola Park After-School Program
Characters: Aqua Gal and Fire Gal
Setting: the Beach
Aqua Gal: Why do I have to see you here?
Fire Gal: Did you follow me here? I don’t like you.
Aqua Gal: I’m not going to tell if I followed you. Why would I?
Fire Gal: How would you like it if I hurt you? It would be fun.
Aqua Gal: Yeah right, how would you like it if I hurt you?
Fire Gal: Really how would you hurt me? And I would still beat you.
Aqua Gal: Just because I’m little doesn’t mean you can tease me.
Fire Gal: So it looks like you can protect yourself.
Aqua Gal: I can’t believe you’re my sister. It’s just not fair.
Fire Gal: Well just get over it. You have to live with me anyway.
Aqua Gal: You think you can control me but you can’t either way it goes.
Fire Gal: If I hurt you don’t go crying to Mom.
Aqua Gal: Well with one scream and one cry you will be out of the house.
By Daviaynna H., New Sullivan Elementary
Once upon a time, Ms. Harrington was cooking dinner in her mansion. Her maid was cooking fried food. Ms. Harrington was in one kitchen. Her maid, Elizabeth, was in the other. They kept running back and forth to get different ingredients. Ms. Harrington was making a cake and Elizabeth was making fried chicken. Ms. Harrington finished her cake first because Elizabeth kept having to let guest in for the party. “Sit here. Sit there. Put this party stuff up.” Elizabeth finished her chicken by putting BBQ on it, and brought out the cake. Ms. Harrington came out in a swim suit and said “Welcome to the Swimming Pool Party.” The guest put on their swimming suits. Everybody kept dancing, having pop, and blasted the music. It was a huge party over 1,000 people came. They ate all the food. Jessica brought 13 kids to the party and Ms. Harrington said, “Put the kids in the playroom! I don’t want to hear them screaming. The kids got taken to the playroom and the party went back to being great. The End
By Xitlaly G., Loyola Park After-School Program
Once there was a girl who cried blood. And her name was ocean. She had a special key that let her enter all the mountain tops. But her boyfriend Blue broke up with her and she went to the mountain tops and she started to cry but she cried blood. She tried to hold it in because she thought she would fall out of the mountain tips she down stairs and she went somewhere with her friends so they could calm her down but then her friend said “Blue just texted me this message” but her friends didn’t know she cried blood. She cried blood, everybody saw her and started running out of the restaurant. She was so sad she ran back to her mountain top. Then she saw Blue, and she cried more blood and she couldn’t see him and then Blue pushed her down the mountain top then Blue started crying blood. But little did he know that her spirit was still there. Now she waits to see Blue in her mountain top so she could push him. THE END.
By Jasmine J., Dixon Elementary School
On my 10 th birthday I had a love themed birthday party. I invited my friends and my cousins. There was this one cute boy there that just popped out of nowhere. Nobody else noticed him but me. He had the most expensive leather jacket in his hand and he held it out to me. It was the most beautiful purple jacket I’ve ever seen. It was like he was read my mind. I asked “What is your name?” He turned around, his face covered . Then he flipped his hair and said, “My name is whatever you want it to be.” He was so my league! He was about 12, But I didn’t care, so I replied, “I don’t know,,, maybe Justin?” He said “That is the perfect name for me!” Justin took my hand and we danced, laughed, talked, cried, and hugged eachother. Close. Really close. When, when it was time to cut the cake, Justin said, “I have to go now, babe” “No! You can’t leave. What about…! Oh nothing” I said. “What’s up, I’ll be back soon.” Justin said. “Ok” I replied. Justin leaned over and gave me a…KISS! Oh! My dreams came true! To be continued… THE END.
By Aisya, Loyola Park Blue
Have you ever dreamed of sailing a ship to the stars? Or meeting a mermaid that swims through the sky? You might think these are all childish dreams, but they are the work of the dancing cow.
The dancing cow is the one who gives you the best adventures. Have you ever had a tea party with mermaids? Or had a dance off with a Fairy? Yes, yes you have! You just don’t remember any of these things, because you wake up.
First you sail to the land of adventure. Remember anything can happen in a dream. You will sail with 3 little men, called the Oooooh men. They will take you to the land of adventure. From there, the dancing cow does his magic. Only the chosen ones could even get a glimpse of the dancing cow!
Where does he go, you ask? Now that’s a question to think about! Why the sudden interest in the dancing cow? Have I intrigued you? There’s a ship called the Flying Betty. Ever heard of it? No you haven’t! That’s the dancing cow’s flying ship. It collects lightning to the DREAMER’S WOROKSHOP.
That’s where the people manufacture your dreams and thoughts. Now, go rest, and meet the dancing cow.
By Patryk, Karolina, Max L, Darlene, Mia, Bella, Yael, Kinzie Elementary School
Once there was a guy named Jeff who hated soup. He hated it 100% one day he met a guy named Jackie chan. Who taught him the way of the soup, like broccoli soup, chicken soup, tomato soup, and pepper soup. Jeff tasted all of the soups. He loved some, he hated some and even fought the ones he hated. So two years later he found the courage to order soup at a restaurant. He like the soup so much that he opened his own soup restaurant in Philadelphia. Two months later his soup became so famous he starred in his own cooking show called the ways of the soup. The End.