Celebration of Authors is sponsored by WINTRUST BANK
Purchase Tickets!
It’s both our annual gala AND a family-friendly, interactive festival!
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
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.
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.
PlayMakers Laboratory is sponsored in part by
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 Diante P. and Miles B., Learn Elementary School, Campbell Campus
Characters: Diante (Werewolf) and Michael (the Dad)
Setting: The Woods
Michael: (Serious) Son go and hunt some food.
Diante: (Scratching his ear) Dad I can’t I’m gonna get hurt.
Michael: (Mad) Son you’re not going to get hurt.
Diante: (Crying) All right Dad.
Michael: (happy) Now go out there son and hunt some deer.
Diante: (Dead) Heeeeeellp Dad!!!!!
Michael: (running) (Crying) I’m sorry son! I will always love you.
The End.
By Octavio R., Columbia Explorers Academy
There was once a game show called U Can’t Win. The game show host was called Dorito and his assistant was named Elmo. He was the one who escorted the people out of the stage. The contestants were Al Gore, a woman named Helga and Pete construction worker.
Dorito: Welcome to your favorite show U Can’t Win. Our contestants today are Al Gore, Helga and Pete construction worker. Our first question is for Helga. Here is the question. How many shoes?
Helga: What is the rest of the question?
Dorito: That’s the question.
Helga: OK. 7.
Dorito: Sorry the answer is 9 because U Can’t Win! (audience cheering) Our next question is for Pete construction worker. The question is, in Alaska the snow is…
Pete: That’s easy the answer is meatloaf.
Dorito: Sorry, the answer is meatloaf.
Pete: That’s what I said.
Dorito: Sorry but I didn’t hear you because U Can’t Win (audience cheering).
Pete: Dis is not fair.
(He attacks Dorito. Elmo comes out and takes Pete off stage. And he says Elmo knows
where you live.)
Pete: I’ll be back.
Dorito: Pete construction worker and Helga have been disqualified. Al Gore you havebeen chosen to go into super sudden death. You’re gonna have to eat 300 meatballs in ten seconds (audience cheering).
Al Gore: I sure do love meatballs.
(Dorito starts counting sown, when he reached 3 Al Gore says he’s finished)
Dorito: Sorry, that was 303 meatballs cause U Can’t Win.
Al Gore: I demand a recount.
(Helga comes out a grabs Dorito and throws him to the audience and he yells U Can’t
Win.)
The End.
By Cristian O. and Antonio S., Lorca Elementary School
Characters: Potatohead, Son, Soldiers, and Russian Soldier
Setting: Russian War
MP: (he is walking) Aaah fresh air.
S: (guns shooting) we need reinforcements.
MP: (scared) wha-what’s going on here.
S: (solider sees Mr. Potatohead) He says get out of her cause you are going to die or get hurt!
M.P.: My son is where the Russian soldiers are man that I don’t know.
S: (screaming) hurry up bring more tanks there is a potato civilian in enemy building!
M.P.: (sad) give me my son or I am going in to get him.
S: All right all right we are going to get your son!
M.P.: Oh my goddnes I am going to bet my son!
Hours later
R.S.(talking to a radio) hurry bring our tanks and choppers. (R.S. dies)
S: (throws grenade) Hurry move it.
The End.
By Sofia V., Loyola Park After-School Program
Once there was a girl named Sofia. She found a time traveling train and got on and started to drive. She passed every time period she could imagine. The first life on earth, then the dinosaurs, sometime after came ancient Egypt, then sometime after that came the civil war, and so on. She made a stop in the middle of the ocean. Why? She was waiting for a pirate ship! (duh!) soon some pirates appeared. Well, I wouldn’t say “appeared” because they didn’t just pop out of nowhere! She secretly snuck onboard and blended in with the crew. She spent about 3 hours there before she wanted to leave on the train. She said goodbye to her pirate friends. Next she traveled to Queen Victoria’s time. A sign was down at the docks. “Queen Victoria welcomes you to London!” it said. Then it slipped around and the sign was covered with fire there was a picture of Queen Victoria holding knives. It now read unless you’re a pirate! I guess it’s time to go! Bye! She got back on the train and drove home. THE END.
By Donachie C., Loyola Park After-School Program
In the cave of darkness. Donald Trump was talking to a bear. And then nothing. The bear scratched Donald Trump’s face off. And then ate his bones. And then he ate the blood and skin for dinner. Then Donald Trump has his death. THE END.
By Michelle A., Johnson School of Excellence
One day ten sister went for a walk in the woods with their very long hair. Their mom said wear your sweater and don’t talk to strangers or they will take advantage of you and what you do. So when you go to the beach be with each other and never talk to each other and don’t take out your diamonds and keep them in your jacket or someone will go in it. But if you go in the water put it in you bathing suit and if you let them get taken then I can’t trust you with another one so keep it with you at all time so keep it with you ok and you will be safe. At 10:00 come home for dinner and if you don’t you all will be on punishment until you move from me so don’t disappoint me and keep you peace together. THE END.
By Shimirra S., Morton School of Excellence
Dear government, I think you should be fair with dance teams because of many reasons. 1 Reason is that when the dance teams compete and one team win, it makes the other team feel very sad. 2nd reason, most dance teams use props and it’s not fair to others. 3rd reason, because most dance teams have their coach dance with them and it is not fair. In conclusion: I think all dance teams should win something for all their hard work. THE END.
By Grant G., 3rd Grade, Skinner North Classical School
Trollolololololololoolololololoolololololoolololololoolololololoolololololoolololololoololoolololololoolo
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Problem? Problem? Problem? Problem? Problem? Problem? Problem? Problem? Problem? Problem?
Problem, human? Problem? Problem? Problem?
Prooooooooooooooooooblem? Eeheheheheheh! You mad?
The End.
By Tedy Z., Morton School of Excellence
Once upon a time I was in a different country with my cousin. She ate a lot of candy me and her. When she was going up stairs to her dad’s house she ran as fast as she could and she fell down the stairs and at the bottom hit her chin. Blood everywhere. She had to go to the doctor so me, her mom, and her went to the Doctor and they put stitches on her chin I heard screaming when I was outside the room. I was scared but when she came out I was happy nothing bad happened. The lesson is don’t eat a lot of candy and run up the stairs.
THE END.
By Jasmine H., West Pullman Elementary School
That's Weird, Grandma
Oh my god
I found my sister’s friend.
I’m holding
my girlfriends hand.
“Oh my.”
My friend said, “I can see a dead man’s head.”
I see a blond woman and she is coming.
I can hear
a clowns laughter, and he is fatter.
WE are
at a new years eve party
and we are
Drinking Bacardi.
The countdown is just getting started
and my friend is having a ball.
THE END.
