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 Breanna H., Chalmers School of Excellence
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time there was a princess. She loves to pick up thing like weights or automobiles she was buff and she was very strong princess. The whole kingdom was scared of her . She was very sensitive on the inside. So one day her parents said they are sending her way. She started bursting out crying and she started throwing things. And then she stopped and noticed that her parents were gone. They were afraid of her strong body. She felt very bad and began searching for her parents. Then she searched too far and found an island. Her parents were there. She was so happy. They were so afraid. Then a man walked up and saw her and said you are so buff I think we can get you to do something.. so he did and she was a lifter upper. The island was now called the Kingdom. The princess was so helpful that her parents said no more sending away. So the princess lived a happy and lifting like. The End
By Josiah T., Dewey School of Excellence
That's Weird, Grandma
One day me and my half brother Julian was on our way to school we meet a crocodile and I said: Julian I bet you 5 dollars that you wouldn’t kiss that crocodile so he did and the crocodile had bad breath everyone said: Julian you have bad breath. The End
By Daisy R, Angel G, Itzel O, Abram L, Jonathan T, Yanelly S, Aaron A, Lorca Elementary School
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time there was a spider woman who lived on the beach. She wanted to kidnap the turtles in the underwater sea. So she ate a big breakfast. She had bananas, coffee, and lip gloss. She felt happy. She has special turtle food in her bag to catch the turtles. So the turtles came out to get the food and spider Lady caught them in her net. She ate the turtles with fish and collected the shells. The End.
By Victoria K., Poe Elementary School
That's Weird, Grandma
There once was a cat. The cat was a very bad cat. The cat would knock lamps over and rip the curtains. One day her owner caught her and put her out in the -5 degree weather. The cat came back stiffer than a popsicle. Her owner asked her if she had learne dher lessson. The cat’s lips were frzen shut so she coudn’t meow. Once the cat was thawed out she meowed. The owner gave her her favorite blanket and a hug. She never did anything bad and became the world’s greatest cat and got everything she wanted. Her owner said: “Good behavior deserves a good treat.” THE END.
By Angelo E., Loyola Park After School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
There were cars with zombies in them. But they weren’t just any car. They were on fire. They rampaged the city. Their cars have a lot of fire power on them. They have killed over 100 people already! They can’t be stopped. They’re after me. NO! The End
By Jlyn T., Learn Campbell Academy
Arguments
That's Weird, Grandma
I believe summer is better than winter
My 1st reason is that in the summer time your car won’t freeze.
My 2nd reason is in the summer time you won’t get snow in your shoes.
My 3rd reason is in the summer time you won’t freeze.
My 4th reason is in the winter time if your family promises you something but it is too cold in winter.
My 5th reason is in the winter time you can look up when it’s snowing and you can get snow in your eyes.
In conclusion, I think summer is better than Winter
The End
By Hailey P., Morton School of Excellence
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time me and my mom walked house to house. (Boom boom boom knock knock knock) I had a lot of candy then I went to this one particular house and it looked like a face. I was so scared because it said (ooooooooooooooohhhhhh) My mom said that’s just sound effects. She took me to it. We knock the hosue opened its eyes and swallowed us whole it burped like a hog. The end.
By Israel P., Columbia Explorer’s Academy
That's Weird, Grandma
In the beginning Jack goes to his store and starts to make hotdogs. Then he went out to get fresh air. In the middle someone else was inside the building he poisens a hot dog. When Jack comes back inside jack gets hungry so he got a hotdog the one that the other persen poisoned. Then he became an evil zombie. At the end he found a note on a hotdog it said “Ha ha! I bet you changed into a zombie already. You will be a zombie forever because you ate that hotdog. Ha! Ha! From: Unkown
Then Jack goes intot he sewer because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone and he hasn’t been heard of again. Nobody ever even found the persen who poisoned jack. The end
By Nick, Denzel, Anton, Amarcion, Learn Campbell Academy
Arguments
That's Weird, Grandma
We believe everyone in the Windy City should have a pet rhinoceros named Pam. One reason is because they would keep us safe from robbers, snakes, and wrestling people, and stray dogs. Another reason is they are quiet and keep the peace and watch over us. Also you could ride your rhino and it could jump over traffic if you are stuck in traffic, and it could take you to school and it doesn’t need gas! Also our rhino is strong and could do heavy lifting and pushing heavy stuff and hard work. And our rhinos could be our friends and be real nice. That is why we believe everyone should have a pet rhino.
By Thilynne M, Learn Campbell Academy
That's Weird, Grandma
On my 11th Birthday my Mom woke me and took me to the lady house to get my hair done. I got me some blue highlighter and purple. And then I went home and when I came in everybody sad Happy Birthday. They were so excited that that everybody’s ears broke. That didn’t feel so good, so they all went to the hospital When we got to the
