Tickets are NOW ON SALE for our annual Celebration of Authors Gala – June 20, 2025 – a family-friendly FUN–draiser for PlayMakers Laboratory!
Mark your calendars to come out to celebrate the creativity of Chicago’s youth!
Purchase Tickets!
CELEBRATION OF AUTHORS GALA 2025!
HOSTED BY: PLAYMAKERS LABORATORY
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
6:30PM – 10:30PM CDT
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART, 1852 W 19TH ST, CHICAGO, IL 60608
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
Purchase Tickets!
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!
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 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 Camron F , Learn Campbell Academy
One day it was a lonely old man named Tommy with a cat named Brownie. When he picked up Brownie Brownie screamed at him and jumped out of his arms. Tommy started to cry then when he was done crying he said “Brownie Brownie Brownie my love where are you?” Tommy didn’t hear anything so he checked everywhere. He checked the kitchen and his room and the basement and the living room and the bathroom but he wasn’t nowhere so Tommy said “Nooooooooooooo!” so her got his coat and ran outside and ran to Go Bananas and saw the cat playing games. “Tommy, what are you doing here?” “I didn’t tell you to come here, yo.” “Oh my God, I having aheart attack.” “Yo he’s having a heart attack.” “It’s too late he’s dead because you took too long.” The End.
By Joahan R, Dawes Elementary
True Stories
It was a hot summer day me and my family were going to my soccer game it looked like if it was going to rain but I didn’t cared when we started playing I could hear the lightning coming down from the sky; then it started to rain it started to getting faster and faster they stop the game because it was raining too hard I can hear the people screaming like little girls and complaining about their clothes I ran to my car my whole family were in the car I was really wet and I didn’t have any extra clothes and that was the time that I learn to bring extra clothes every time when I go to play soccer. The end.
By Ruth B, Teaching Lab Collaborations at the University of Chicago
Dialogues
M: Hi I’m Midnight. (gleefully shyly waves)
N: Hi I’m Navy (cooly waving)
M: Wow your navy coat is really pretty.
N: So is your black one.
M: We should be best friends.
N: (nod)
M: Come to my stable (wave toward stable)
N: OK (walk away with him)
M: Here it is (point to stable)
N: That was a great meal.
M: Oh, thank you, I liked the fried hay too!
N: Well good night!
M: Same to you
M and N: (Stand in a comfy position) zzzzz he haw zzz he haw (float around)
The End
By Casey S, Little Village Academy
Once upon a time there was a dog who had a fancy hat with a tuxedo. That hat that he bought was magical. That hat granted all wishes. His first wish was to have all the wishes he wants. The second wish was to live in the city of Chicago. The third wish was to have 8 pieces of meat. Then the rest of his wishes were to get some more pieces of meat. Then
when it was his millionth time eating the pieces so every single time he eat 8 pieces of meat he got fatter and fatter. One day he couldn’t stop eating that he couldn’t fit in his own house. He was perfect for King Kong, Big foot or even Godzilla. His very last wish was to have more wishes and to be just like when he bought that black hat. By the way when he
bought the hat he was skinny. The End.
By Natalie, Lorca School
I’m a flower and I believe that people should not pick me. My first reason is that I won’t grow. My second reason is when they pick my I will die. My third reason is I will not swell good any more. In conclusion, I believe that people should not pick me.
I am a flower and I believe that people should pick me. My first reason is I will look good one some one’s hair. My second reason is I will smell good. My third reason is I will get to go every were. I believe that Should.
The End
By Ronnie H, Learn Campbell Academy
Nick said was bad. He was try[ing] to come in. I said no. Not on the hair of my chinny chin chin. I will never let you in but if you want to be in [my] band I will let you be and he said that hey will you be up and I said I think Nick should be [in] my band. Ok. You who be in my band I said ok if [you] let me, too. The End.
By Asia B , Chalmers Elementary
True Stories
I’m Janine and I want a teddy bear. I need it to sleep. I always wanted one, but I lost mine and I need another one. I had three of them and lost two of them, but I wanted to sleep with all of them. I tried to go to a toy store and ask the manager if I could have one because I lost mine and I wanted two more. The manager said I needed to catch some money. I was so mad that I snatched everything off the wall of the store and threw it down on the ground. Then someone offered me 2 teddy bears and I was happy.
By Shiloh C , Loyola Park After School Program
It was a normal day in the village of marshmallows until this short nerd named Zeus had a huge problem. There was a pizza shortage at Zeus’ house (of course he ate it all the time) but because he ate it all the time, it became a huge disaster, for him. He begged for it all day but his neighbors wouldn’t give it to him, when he called the pizza company they wouldn’t give it to him. The End.
By Deanna C, Dewey Academy
Once upon a time there was a man who work at a London. He was forced to make a dog house by Abe Lincoln. Abe Lincoln was a great man to help people to see. The End
By Laila N. , Dixon Elementary
There once was a big bully named Mike. He was mean and he didn’t like anyone. One day, Mike walked up to the new kid named Jake and gave him a wedgy all the way to his head. After he walked up to Jake’s sister named Jackie, but Mike kicked her in the leg for no reason. Then, Jake and Jackie went home and created a big robot to destroy Mike. After that, the next day Mike walked up to both of them and said “Give me your lunch money or else.” Then Jake told the big Robot to make Mike into a McDonald’s burger. Finally, Jake and Jackie split a Mike burger.
