Tickets are On Sale for CELEBRATION OF AUTHORS 2026 on June 27!
CELEBRATION OF AUTHORS 2026!
SATURDAY, JUNE 27 from 12:30PM – 3:30PM CDT
At The NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART
Sponsored by WINTRUST BANK & FORWARD SPACE
It’s both our annual gala AND a family-friendly, interactive festival!
Buy Tickets Now!
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 2025/26 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!
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.
Buy Tickets Now!
Can’t attend our party? We’ll miss you! Consider donating to support arts education in Chicago. Thank you!
Additional Information:
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.
Celebration of Authors is sponsored in part by
Wintrust Bank
Forward Space
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 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 Ceyanne S., Super 7 Program at Cather Elementary
That's Weird, Grandma
Celebration of Authors
Once upon a time there was three boys named Jamal, Haceane, and Andre. They were all brothers who went to Monster High. They all had a group of friends and they each liked someone. Haceane like Roxy Whaaaaa. Jamal like Diana What the what. Andre like Riannah as much as a puppy dog and kitties. But they could not get married because they were too young. So, a few years later on one hot sunny day, like Arizona hot, they all got married and it was as big as a hotdog (a real dog) and lived happily ever after. Then one day they got mad and to be continued…..THE END.
By Zaniya, Sy’mone, Zariah, & Aniya, Super 7 Program at Cather Elementary
That's Weird, Grandma
Celebration of Authors
Bob was a car salesman. He washed and sold cars. Bob had friends named Ronald, Monica, and Michelle. Bob and his team were making sure the car was in good condition. They noticed that the cars were scratched and were not waxed right. Monica and Michelle said, “These cars are so messy.” Michelle said, “Let’s clean them up.” So they got Bob to help clean all the cars and make them great. So the cars were clean and they sold them all out and threw a big party and danced to Hit the Quan. The End. P.S. Nobody knows where the cars went. THE END.
By Freddie H., Dewey School of Excellence
That's Weird, Grandma
Celebration of Authors
Once upon atime there was a ordinary lady sitting in her chair when she went in her house she got some lemonaid and she came back out and as soon as she put the glass to her mouth the glass said “HOLD ON!! The lady stops and looks around no one to be seen she goes Back to Drinking her lemonaid But the glass said it again “Hold on”!! She looks at the glass and says “Why?” Because I can grant U three wishes” The glass exclaimed. You can ok I wish I was a ninja and I wish I had one Billion dollars and she wished she had powers the wish came true and she lived the best life ever. THE END.
By Kodifa H, Andreona D, Cordell H, Juawain J, Brandon B, DeVante and Ayona R., Dewey School of Excellence
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time there was a dog named Scorpio. Scorpio lived in a big house and had a friend named Brad. Scorpio was really strong and had laser eyes. One day Scorpio tired to kill Brad with his laser eyes and eat him for dinner. Because he liked eating people. But Brad could fly and run super fast. So Brad gave Scorpio a squeaky toy and some dog food. He ate the dog food and they were friends. THE END.
By Jaerell E., Loyola Park After-School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
Hello my name is Jerry. I’m a walking and talking goat. I grew up in a farm where it was fun. Then one day, I decided to talk like the farmer. I only understood his actions. Then one day, a green goo appeared out of the farm grounds. I decided to take a look, but I did a dumb (good) move by slipping in to it. This however affected me, by making me into a one of a kind goat. I’m probably the first goat to do this. Hurrah! But yes, it’s true (probably). Ok I’m going to sign out of this tape recorder thing! THE END.
By Jalyne G., Learn Campbell Academy
That's Weird, Grandma
FM: Mmmm. I can’t wait to eat the French fries.
FR: Nooo! Don’t eat us! (scard)
FM: Give me a good reson why not! (mad)
FR: Because we can grant 3 wishis
FM: Ok! I will never eat magic fries (happy ☺)
FR: So what is your first wish?
FM: No I want to answer them all right now!
FR: Ok! Ok! (anger)
FM: I wont’ 50 hampurgrs 70 pizzas and 1,000 fries.
FR: Your wish is my command (boom)
FM: Thank you (ate it in one gulp)
FR: Good bye (fries disoper)
N: (The man started shaking and bam the fat man blue up)
The end
FR: PS he shud have never said 1,000 fries!
THE END.
By Stephanie O., Loyola Park After-School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
I declare that I Stephanie O. should stop having long hair because when I brush my hair I have way too many knots! So when I went to the hair salon and cut 12 inches of my hair the cutters said that is enough for the kids who need! So I gave my hair to the kids who needed. THE END.
By Edwin G., Lorca Elementary School
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time a man couldn’t swim because he was not a swimmer and one day he work as a life guard. One time a man was drowning. He was in a beach and went to save the many and finally he swim and he swam to the man to rescue him. THE END.
By Gabriel J., Loyola Park After-School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
Hey-Rockhead! I like to do jokes on people. I’ve never even heard of a park. I live on Gabriel’s desk. I like it here. I have space and get to be with my friends like the computer and sticker book and toy drawers. I don’t hate anything. I like to say “Hey Rockhead!”
Rock: Hey! How ya doing!
Gabriell: I’m doing good!
Rock: You have a rockstellation (this is a joke, then he spits and it lands on Gabriel’s forehead) Ha ha ha.
Gabriel: Is this dirt?
Rock: It is dirt, it’s rock ice ha ha.
THE END.
By Jaden K., Loyola Park After-School Program
Poems
That's Weird, Grandma
Crazy is Lazy!
Crazy is Bazy!
Lazy is baley!
Baby is saily!
Saily is gaily!
Gaily is faily!
Wuzzah!
Luzzah!
Guzzah!
Buzzah!
Zebra
Zeba
Zing
Zang
Zope
Zall
THE END.
