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 Ameena A., Johnson School of Excellence
That's Weird, Grandma
One day it was this girl who wanted to marry a bear and every night she says “love is enough for a bear”. The next day a bear buzzed her doorbell. She let him in and he said you remember me she said yeah I do and then they hanged for a few days in the bear decided to get married. She said yes so they got married and lived happily ever after. They both had met at the forest it use to be her job and they both was great friends back then but now she really want a great relationship now she’s so happy she founed her bear she was excited to have a great family now sean she letted him escape so they both had good family. PS They had kids. THE END.
By Luiza, Seamus, Damascus, Sofia, Matthew, Lincolwood School
Arguments
That's Weird, Grandma
I am a turtle, and i believe people should not hurt or hunt me. I think people should instead kiss me. This way there are more turtle lovers in the world. My second reason is that turtles are cool. The reason they are cool, is they poop out babies. This way there are more turtles in the world. In conclusion, if you don’t stop hunting or hurting turtles, we will find a solution ourselves. THE END.
By Priscilla M., Avondale-Logandale School
Dialogues
That's Weird, Grandma
Characters: Tom and Mariah and Rite Setting: Mexico
Tom: Abracadabra (make Rite disappear.)
Mariah: Can you do it again to me?
Rite: I like it here in space.
Tom: I love magic and I have trouble to make Rite back.
Mariah: Oh no! You put my friend in space.
Rite: Now I want to go home. Help me!
Tom: I don’t know [how] to bring Rite back to earth.
Mariah: I miss my friend so much.
Rite: I am home. I am happy.
THE END.
By Trinity N., Dixon Elementary
That's Weird, Grandma
One day, there was a pirate who lived on land because he didn’t have a ship. He didn’t know anybody. So he was very sad and very lonely. So five hours passed and he said I’m going to make new friends. So he went to a dance class and it had a dance competition and he made a lot of friends by doing a dance nobody knew: the Nae Nae. He danced his butt off and won the competition. THE END.
By Jake D., Jayla H., Myann W., Kayla L., Nick A., Cameron P., Lincolnwood School
That's Weird, Grandma
Setting: Train
Character: Shirley Bobalina
One day, Shirley Bobalina, a “Fancy Diva Pig” was on her way to a wedding and stepped in a mud puddle. Her dress got dirty and she went bananas. She went on the train to go to Lincolnwood Mall and get a new dress. The shopkeeper turned her away and said “No pork products allowed….unless dead for my lunch.” She felt devastated and started crying and had a temper tantrum. She went to the garbage to pick herself up. She put on mud for makeup, and the tears running down her snout made her look goth. She put on a garbage bag for a dress. She felt confident and gothy and got on the train to the wedding. She arrived and the guests said she had to be the chef because the chef didn’t show. The bride and groom pushed Shirley into the oven, put an apple in her mouth and made the delicious wedding. And they all lived happily ever after…except Shirley. THE END.
By Brian G., Columbia Explorers Academy
Arguments
That's Weird, Grandma
(Composed by Caleb Probst)
I think the world should have zero gravity.
1. If your kite gets stuck on a tree, you will be able to get it by flying.
2. If you are falling from a cliff, you can float up and stop yourself.
3. If you are in an airplane and it is going to crash, you can just float out.
In conclusion without gravity you can save yourself from danger.
THE END.
By Darius M., Chalmers School of Excellence
Songs
That's Weird, Grandma
(Adapted by Curtis Williams and Tai Palmgren)
Once upon a time on the sun there was a man that had a bowl of fires. He dropped it on him. And his astronaut suit burned and he could fly know and can shot fire. THE END.
By Takayla N., New Sullivan Elementary School
Arguments
Songs
That's Weird, Grandma
(Composed by Gwen Tulin)
I believe that I want my streets to be quiet and peaceful. And I don’t want no fighting or gun shots. If my street was peaceful, me and my friends could play outside and play jump rope. If my street was quiet and peaceful I would be less bored because I could go outside instead of having to stay inside. If there were no arguments on my street I could say hello to my neighbors, I could hang out, and then go back outside and have fun. That is why I believe my street should be quiet and peaceful. THE END.
By Cindy S., Cleveland School
Songs
That's Weird, Grandma
(Composed by Geoff Rice)
I remember this morning I was showing my homework to Yadira because she is the homework captain and then I showed her everything but when it was time to do the morning work but I couldn’t find my Grammar book so I looked for it in my desk it wasn’t there but it was all part of my homework then how could it not be there I still can’t find it so after I’ve been checking in my desk for a long time I don’t know were it went but I hope I find it soon because I have to do a page and I also have to check it and I scared if I don’t find it and then I can’t do my homework and then I have to do alot of responsibilities or alot of multiplication charts. And then I have to go home and write more work that’s why I want to find my work. THE END.
By Jeremiah E., Stockton
That's Weird, Grandma
Three men was friends They were coming from a british church then they started to fight. They were
kicking throwing glass. Then They said why are we fighting so they sat down and they started singing, talking, and laughing. There name was Jabic, Joboc, Laklin. They started fighting because Jabic and Joboc called Lakin’s house stupid, ugly, and plain. Then Joboc called Jabic and lakin stupid, dumb, a hobo, dirty and plain. So thats how the fight happen
