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 Paris C, Loyola Park After School Program
A pretty pink boy sat in his pretty pink room and he blended in with his pink room. His name was Pinky Pink Boy. He was minty because he fell into minty toxic gum then he turned pink but sometimes he likes to eat his self and he died then he came back to life and one day he pooped out tap dancing kittens with silver hats with pink bow ties and the kittens like to barf out cheese puffs. PS They dance to Justin Timberlake and Beiber. The End.
By Jesus G, John Q and Daniel M, Lorca Elementary School
Characters: Mario, Luigi, Bowser Jr. Setting: Bowser Ship Mario: Where do we go next Luigi: Let’s go to through that door. Mario: Ok. Bowser Jr. Bowser Jr: I will crush you. Mario: I have a ice flower. Luigi: I have a helicopter. Bowser JR: I don’t care pancake. Mario: I will turn you into bones. Luigi: I will fly over you and press the button. Bowser Jr: Well I will defeat you first. Luigi: I am bored let’s just start fightingMario: (throws a freezer ball) Ha ha. Bowser Jr: Ow! Mario and Luigi: Yes! Bowser Jr: Noooo! I am defeated. The End.
By Tony O, Lorca Elementary School
Last night I was playing with my toys. Bionicle, Transformers and Power Rangers. I went to bed and when I woke up my mom and I went to the garage and opened it and the toys came to life. They were car size. My mom said, “Oh my!” I said, “Wow!” So instead of riding a regular car we drove one of the transformers to school. Sideswipe transformed, said goodbye, then put my mom in his chest, transformed again, and drove away. The transformers and Bionicles talked about who should pick me up from school. They decided that the Bionicles would do it. But they had to wait until 4 because I had computer lab. When they got me home I said “Thank you for picking me up.” And they saluted and I saluted back. I went to bed, and when I woke up the next morning, they were back to normal. I said “What happened to everything? Oh, maybe they have to go back to making their movie.” But they came back the next day. The End.
By Armani B, Learn Campbell Academy
Setting: Zoo Characters: Lions, Gorillas
L: Roar (anger)
G: hoo hoo
L: You ate all my food.
G: NO you ate all of my food!!
L: Yeah, but I’m a lion. And I can do that!
G: I’m a gorilla and I can kill you right now.
L: O.K. O.K. No need to fight. Let’s order a pizza.
G: Ok but u paying.
The End
By Tyrek H, Chalmers Elementary School
Once there was a cat. He did not like to get in the tub. So his owner was mad and sad that the cat would not get in the shower. The cat made a doll. The doll looked just like the cat. Then the owner put the doll in the tub. The cat was happy that he could stay out of the tub. The End
By Zara A., Loyola Park After School Program
In the fridge was a chocolate pie. Everyone felt bad for it. It was past the eat by date. One day some orange pointy things came. They were tied together. The energy shake that was in the drawer came out and untied them “Ouch! Now we’re going to get bruised!” “Who said that?” asked the grapefruit from the upper shelf. “Hey, it’s just us, the carrots.” said the biggest one Billy. The Pie and all the fridge food went to bed. Except Chocolate Pie to see if the “new guys” were still there. He heard talking . “Yeah and if we can we’ll get that energy shake too. How bout it?” “Oh no,” thought the Chocolate Pie, “that sounded a lot like Billy.” He stepped closer. A little too close. Billy saw him! “Billy!” “What?” The Pie tried to run but couldn’t. Then they started arguing on which was healthier. “Fine let’s see who the house keeper picks to eat first to eat whoever is picked first is healthier. The Housekeeper chose Pie. The End
By Aryton G, Columbia Explorer’s Academy
Había unas ves una bicicleta. Un señor que se llama perceo la compra la bibileta era Chiquita y después pue con un micénico y el mecanici le pesa una llanta gigante y cuando percent se savior y se quebró su cadera y nunea volvio a comprer una biciletta. Fin.
By Kevin N, Columbia Explorer’s Academy
I couldn’t believe it, a hamburger talking. I thought hamburgers don’t talk. “I need your help” said hamburger. Hamburgers don’t talk they only stay quite. “Yeah but don’t get scared of me, okay?” said hamburger. “Okay” and “okay” “What’s your name?” I said. “Ham” said hamburger. THE END
By Anton, Mary, Camron, Jlyn, Jakobe, Learn Campbell Academy
The Thief of the World was walking around in the dark and found some rope. He had the idea to escape from the demon zombies by tying it up to the ceiling fan, pulling himself up and spinning around. The Demon Zombies with their long tongues chased after him and knocked some out before he fell to the ground. The leader of the DZ’s, the Baddest Zombie on Earth, said to the thief “give back over gold, diamonds, rubies and pearls!” The thief said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. No can do. Sorry!” “Then we’re going to eat you!’ Suddenly the thief used his catchphrase. “Da-da-da-da” (Sanford and Sons beginning) and he jumped out the window.
By Antwon, Imani, Erick, Tyeler, Martabian, and Christopher, Learn Campbell Academy
One day me and my friend Erika went to Texas. Erika wanted to visit the rodeo! So we went to the rodeo! At the rodeo there was one million zombie cowboys living there. They were doing the “Thriller.” We freak out! And then get hypnotized! By the zombie cowboys. And they made us dance like old ladies. And that’s when they tried to eat us. We ran away! All million zombies chased after us! We ran, and ran, and turned on a radio. And everyone was silent. And “Party Rock” came on. And the zombies loved it! And we all danced together and we had a dance off! And Erika won! She won $50 billion! And Erika told all the zombies, “Go back to your habitat!”
