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 Danny T., Bride School
That's Weird, Grandma
1. They come from the cats hair balls
2. They come from chocolate and vanilla
3. The people come from money
4. People come from flowers
THE END.
By Brisa P., Columbia Explorers Academy
Dialogues
That's Weird, Grandma
Characters: Hound, Flora, Bumblebee
Setting: Pond
HOUND: I am so bored!!!!
FLORA: Welcome to my world Buddy.
BUMBLEBEE: Let’s go play hide and seek.
FLORA: U don’t know. Ask Hound.
BUMBLEBEE: Want to play Hound?
HOUND: Sure!!!
BUMBLEBEE: I’ll count to ten and you better hide.
BUMBLEBEE: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!
BUMBLEBEE: Where did everybody go?
FLORA: I bet he’ll never find us.
HOUND: I hope not!
BUMBLEBEE: Found you!!
FLORA and HOWARD: How did you find us!!
BUMBLEBEE: You were making too much noise.
FLORA: Who wants to play again?
THE END.
By Chloe W., Loyola Park After-School Program
Holidays
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time there was a town not so big named Fun Town. The population was only about 10,000 people. But everyone there loved to live there anyway. When holidays would be right around the corner, they would gather in the center of their town on the day before the holiday and spend the whole day together. There was a little girl about 6 years old who LOVED ICE CREAM CANDY SUGAR RUSH DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She would always be so happy (more happy than she already is) on that holiday. She would be nonstop having the time of her life. Her name was Vanelope. She wasn’t exactly popular, but she had one best friend named Patrisha. They were always happy together. On their favorite holiday, they would celebrate all day and night. They would be so happy together. They would have a blast when they were together but especially on their favorite holiday, which is ICE CREAM CANDY SUGAR RUSH DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE END.
By Cesar S., Avondale-Logandale School
Arguments
That's Weird, Grandma
I believe that Mexican people could cross the border into the U.S. 1) We are human and because we deserve a better life. 2) Bad things happen in Mexico, like there’s a lot of killing every day. 3) And parents want to cross the border to give their children better life because a lot of kids get sick and die. Conclusion-let Mexican People Cross the border. THE END.
By Ina J., Graham Elementary School
Holidays
Winter Holidays
That's Weird, Grandma
Once there was a baby name Alice she was a spoiled girl she got everything she wanted but she has a flaw ‘christmas” why was it her flaw? Santa Claus never brings her presents one day she got a present it’s it’s a “baby”!!!!!!! Alice faned how wath was was she going to do then she got a note from Santa dear Alice this is you when you were a baby you cried, and wanted gold everything gold. Then Alice… THE END.
By Aidan G., Morton School of Excellence
Holidays
Winter Holidays
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time there was a family who owned a beautiful house on the north side of Chicago. One Christmas while they were out visiting other family members, the alien santa came into their house through the window and jumped on their bed. When they came home they found the Santa stuck to the roo and could not get down. They called 911 to rescue him.
THE END.
By Jaiden W., Avondale-Logandale School
That's Weird, Grandma
One day a lady named Ruby she always wanted to be alone. When she could relax school was the best place for her to relax. No one came to school because they all sere sick. For the whole day she was happy all she did was read, and sleep when one of the sick kids walked in he said I am ready for school. He had a runny nose and he snees she got sick. THE END.
By Jessica P., Avondale-Logandale School
Dialogues
That's Weird, Grandma
Setting: School
Characters: New girl, Popular girl, teacher, popular friend, and new girl’s friend named jade
New g: (come sin) Hello, I’m a new student
Poular g: (Nasty face) soooooo a new student (mean voice)
Teacher: (surprise) oh, class, there’s a new student.
New girl: My name is Josylen.
Popular g: (Starting to kill her) I hat her! (talks to friend)
Popular f: (surprise face) But why are you so mean? She’s new.
Popular g: Well yeah, but she is soooo pretty and nice, duh!
Popular fri: Well tried to be used to her.
Popular gL ok ugh
Teacher: Class please find a empty seat for our new student (nicely) please.
Popular Fri: There’s one between me and my friend Nancy.
Popular G: nit it’s saved!
Teacher: No one sits there.
New Girl: That’s ok, I’ll sit somewhere else.
New Girl Fri: Hey sit here Joslyn. (happyness)
New Girl: Ok (nicely)
Teacher: Finally you found a seat. Thanks Jade.
New girl f: no problem teacher.
Teacher: Class it’s time for lunch (nicely)
Teacher: (hears bell) Class you may dismiss for lunch.
New girl: ok teacher (same time)
New girls fri: ok teacher (same time)
Popular girl: (pushes new girl)
New girl: Ouch! (sadness)
New girl f: (felt upset for friend) Are you ok?
New girl: No (cries)
New girl f: Ok I’ll tell someone for help.
Popular girl: no your not! (pushes)
New girl f: (fells) ouch, well it won’t help (laughs) ha ha ha
Popular g: What.
New girl f: Your friend Holly told the teacher.
Popular g: What, why pal?
Popular girl friend: Sorry, but I know your plan at lunch.
New girl: (sniff)
New girl f: Ok Let’s go to class with Holly (goes to the classroom)
THE END.
By Almani C., Kemani B., Gabrielle S., Monica J., Jala B., Lashay E., Dixon Elementary
That's Weird, Grandma
It was a sunny day in Hawaii. Fred, the chicken sadnwich, was opening up KFP (Kentucky Fried People). On the roof was a blow-up chicken that was orange and holding a human heart. Shrimp, the dancing cucumber, went into the kitchen and saw Fred cutting up the food. But the food wasn’t chicken, it was people. She called the police (Devie & Stewie, who weren;t very smart) and when they came, Shrimp starting singing the KFP song. KENTUCKY FRIED PEOPLE, IS PEOPLE NOT CHICKEN *COME ON* The police started dancing. So they didn’t arrest Fred (Who just made his hit single that made $1000, and the album cover had a chicken sandwich with a human in his hand) Instead, Shrimp solved it by eating Fred. Shrimp says, “Sandwish. sw. sw.” THE END.
By Jamari J., Dawes Elementary School
That's Weird, Grandma
I believe people should buy more buffalo joe’s to eat so they can have more juicy (drewling)
Delicious bbq chicken and seasoned fries and when they get their juicy (drewling) delicious buffalo joe’s they can just give it to their kids, then the kids can go to their room and watch tv or play video games and then when their done they can go ask their parents to buy some more juicy (drewling) delicious buffalo joe’s. And when they get they are going to get good grades, behave, cut the grass, and wash the dishes, and also wash their laundry. And then they will freak out. And they will freak out because they’ll get more buffalo joe’s then they’ll had more then they had before. THE END.