PlayMakers Laboratory Story Archive
Tickets are On Sale for CELEBRATION OF AUTHORS 2026 on June 27!
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.
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 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.
Wintrust Bank
Forward Space
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 Nia H., Loyola Park After School Program
True Stories
I believe that Dragons are real because I saw one with my eyes. There is only one in the world but, it’s in the history books. I have proof because I have photos.
By Lois C., Loyola Park After School Program
Songs
I see you in the corridors with those fake friends of yours. Flirting in the hallway with the popular girls of today.
I don’t know if I will burst. Baby this hurts. (chorus)
I can’t keep thinking of you yet your always on my mind. It’s hard to be myself when your eyes meet mine.
(chorus)
He loves pixie sticks. They make him crazy. He has hazel eyes and brown hair. He makes me laugh all the time.
He’s smart, he’s cute. He has a girl on his arm. And I wish it was me. He got braces. But I think he looks cuter.
By Connor M., Royal D., Seamus N., Mira K., Avery A., 2nd Grade, Lincolwood
That's Weird, Grandma
There once was a general from England named Martin. Martin had a fancy jacket, which he put on at work. The jacket was made out of pure gold! Martin’s boss, Luther, was jealous of the gold jacket, and he stole it! Luther was an experienced pick-pocket. Martin decided to call the police. The police arrived and searched for the pick-pocket. Luther lied and said “I don’t have it.” King, the head police officer, started lining up the suspects. King found Luther to be guilty because there was a witness whose name was Junior, and then took Luther to juvie where there were spiders. King found the gold jacket in Luther’s room and returned it to Martin. Luther escaped from jail and was never heard from again. The End.
By Gracie, Joe, Jada, Liowellyn, Stella , Lincolnwood
That's Weird, Grandma
Once there was a crazy bird named Mrs. Miguel. She loved powdered donuts! One day, Mrs. Miguel came home to find her husband near a shattered window. Mr. Miguel had Laser Vision super powers. He had just fought evil super villain, Shmea. Mrs. Miguel was so mad, because she had been relaxing all day, and now she had to save her husband (again). There was a piece of glass in his wing, so she flew over the ocean to a secret cave to collect the medicine, which was Twix bars. She got the Twix bars, but she got hungry on the way back, so she ate them! When Mrs. Miguel got home, she saw powdered donuts and decided to regurgitate the Twix bar and give it to her husband, and then eat the powdered donuts. Unfortunately, the medicine didn’t work, so they broke up. They live happily ever after because Mrs. Miguel lived on an island of hot tubs and powdered donuts, and Mr. Miguel lived in a mansion with Mr. Shmea and became Mr. Shmea Jr. The End
By Adrian Z., Columbia Explorers Academy
Arguments
That's Weird, Grandma
I believe that my house should be changed into a rainforest.
I believe this because my dad took me to the zoom and I loved it so I know I love animals and would be around them all the time. Also because it would be super fst getting to places becasue we’d use rope swings. Also because there is a lot of nature in a forest (lake and mountain) and that is good. ALso I know my mom, dad and sister would say: “You can change this house into a rainforest.” so they’d support it. In conclusion I believe that my house should be a rainforest.
By Kasandra P., Columbia Explorers Academy
Spanish
Una ves una bailarina que se llama Maria. Maria eva un a gran bailarina y su maerta se llama Alejandra. Un dia llegaria el campoinato pero Maria se torcia el pie y no podia bailar la maertra Alejandra le hablo a Maria poi telefono la maestra Alejandra le dijo a Maria que porque no llegaba al campionato si al guien te cubre no ganasas y note daran el premio. Maria le dijo a la maestra Alejandra tengo una idea nesesito que vengas a mi casa maestra Alejandra. La maestra Alejandra llego ala casa de Maria. Mire maestra Alejandra pongase esta mascara de mi. La maestra bail y gano el premio y la maestra Alejandra se lo dio a Maria.
By Jermayine and Angel, Lorca
Dialogues
Characters: Angel the Evil Wizard and Jermayine the Handsome Knight/Prince
Setting: Medieval Times Castle
(Angel was a good wizard but he married an evil witch. She turned him into a bad wizard. The prince killed the evil witch and the wizard wanted revenge.)
A: I will come back some day (Evil laugh.)
(100 years later at the Prince’s wedding)
P: (to the Princess) will you marry me?
A: (appears) I will put a curse on the princess to make her forget who the prince is.
(The next day)
Princess: Who are you and why are you talking to me and sleeping next to me?
P: What do you mean? What do you mean? What do you mean?
(He goes to the Forest of Death to find the wizard’s secret hideout.)
P: You. (stomps and is angry)
A: (evily) Yesss? You’ll never catch me! (evil laugh)
P: I will catch you. I am the Jungle Fury Power Ranger Knight! (Turns into Jungle Fury)
To Be Continued….
By Angel C., Lorca
Arguments
My first reason is he could dance and sing. My second reason he can jump through fire. My third reason is he is all over youtube. In conclusion I believe Michael Jackson is the best dancer. The End
By Agustin C., Avondale-Logandale
Arguments
I believe that we should get rid of diapers.
My first reason is they are stinky.
My second reason is that kids should learn to use the washroom.
My third reason is that sometimes diapers cause more garbage.
In conclusion I believe we should get rid of diapers.
I believe we should not have babies.
My first reason is because they bother me so much.
My second reason is because they are always cuter than anyone else.
My third reason is because babies always have to be bald.
In conclusion I believe we should not have babies.
THE END
By Rebecca J., Avondale/Logandale
That's Weird, Grandma
One day Kathy was at school. She had big problem: She could not see the board so she told the teacher. She said to put on her glasses that made her feel so mad so she can see the board much better.