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.
By Eryion H., Chalmers
True Stories
One day my dad made breakfast for me and my brother and my step brother and his girlfriend and he made some bacon and boiled eggs. And I didn’t like boiled egg. So me and my brothers waited until the food was done and it was done before they ran to the kitchen I told my brother I don’t like boiled eggs y’all and my borther was we know that so they ran to the kitchen I walk slow because I didn’t like boiled eggs and by the time I got in that kitchen my plate was already ready. So I went to the table and set down and start eating and I said ew and I took about one bite and I chewed it and it was nasty and I only ate my bacon and I was done and I put the eggs in the garbage and my dad looked in the garbage and said who put the egg in the garbage and said who put the egg in the garbage both of my brothers said they didn’t do it. And I said I did it and he took the egg out the garbage and said you fine two eat this egg right now and I said but I don’t like eggs Daddy and he said I don’t give a care and he washed it off and gave it to me and I ate it. THE END.
By Daejanay S., Chalmers
That's Weird, Grandma
Once on a weird day a crazy lady that liked cats so much she had 100s of them had ask me do I want one but I remembered not to take things from crazy ladies. So I said okay but one question can I ask you how old are you. Well I am 94. Oh! My gosh! So can I get your name please. Well, Ms. Cat. Okay Ms. Cat. Do you have a family? Well yes, yes, yes. So what’s his/her names. Their names are Cat 1, Cat 2, Cat 3. Wait a second you have a cat family. Yes. Just give me the cat. Okay you could have Nay-Nay okay so as the day went on we all minded our own business. THE END
By Jaden K., Loyola Park After School Program
Poems
Crazy is Lazy!
Crazy is Bazy!
Lazy is baley!
Baby is saily!
Saily is gaily!
Gaily is faily!
Wuzzah!
Luzzah!
Guzzah!
Buzzah!
Zebra
Zeba
Zing
Zang
Zope
Zall
By Ronin W., Loyola Park After School Program
That's Weird, Grandma
Yesterday, three zebras escaped from the zoo. Their names were Howard, Central and Wellington. They ran to a bridge with tracks on it, but no electric tracks. They are glad it’s not electric. It’s a CTA track, the line for the Red and Purple Line. The zebras hop on the train and ride to Belmont, and switch to a brown line train to the loop. They roade to Washington and Wells, and got on the Orange Line and took it to Adams and Wabash, then they got on the Green Line and took it to Clark and Lake. They got in the elevator at the top and rode down to the street. Then they walked to another elevator and took it down to the Blue Line Subway Platform. They got on the Blue Line and took it to Forest Park. They got off the train and went to the park and played on the playground and got back on the Blue line an dtook it to Clark and Lake. They got on the Orange line and took it to Midway airport. They checked out the airport to see what it was like and got back on the Orange line to Clark and Lake, back to the blue Line to O’Hare Airport, checked out the airport, then went back home to the Zoo. The End.
By Efrain S., New Sullivan
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time monsters and robots worked together to rule the world. The army captured the monsters. Other people visit to see the monster get tortured. But they made a huge mongest monster very mad. He broke the chain he ate the people’s heads. He freed the robot and the monster. The monsters and robots went to the city. The army sent all the navy to destroy the city. The army called for back up. The air force came. They killed the robots. They only need the monster, but it was too late. The city was taken from the people. They called the city monsterworld. The End.
By Amber B., Alondra C., Kiarra W., Nasia D., Felice L., New Sullivan
That's Weird, Grandma
There was a robber named Fred Robinson. In a very tall building. He was stealing a rocket to explore space and be the first man to bring a star down to Earth. He gets the rocket and takes off. Fred was scared, but had a smile on his face. He goes to the stars and brings one back to the rocket. He brings it to the bank and they give him money. Then the police found out he stole the rocket and got money for the star. They arrested Fred.
By Connor & Sebastian, Loyola Park After-school Program
Dialogues
Holidays
Valentine's Day
That's Weird, Grandma
Characters:
Toastman
Suzie
Setting:
On the streets
TM: Will you marry me? (holds a ring out)
S: Only if you answer one question.
TM: O.K. I’m ready. (jumps in the air)
S: Have you ever kissed other men’s wives?
TM: They kiss me. I don’t kiss them.
S: NO. (she takes the ring out and throws it in the sewer)
TM: What the heck that cost me $1,000. (bites her finger)
S: Will you marry me? (whisper to audience, shows crown) it’s a mini crown of thorns
TM: Duh yeah. (puts on mini crown of thorns and screams very loud)
S: (she explodes)
TM: Tough love. (sighs) (he screams so loud he explodes)
THE END
By Nicole M, Stockton
PART ONE
Nicole: Nicole
Andrea: Andrea
Yesenia: Yesenia
Litsey: Litsey
Nicole: Girls Club.
Girls: Wow…
Andrea: So where is Litsey?
Yesenia: What – you don’t know? Litsey is sick today.
Nicole/Andrea/Yesenia: Let’s go to see Litsey to see if she is okay!
Nicole: Let’s buy her something.
Andrea/Yesenia: How about banana split.
Litsey: Thanks, you guys.
Nicole/Andrea/Yesenia: Welcome!
Nicole/Andrea/Yesenia: I feel a little bit to go to a party.
Nicole/Andrea/Yesenia/Litsey: Okay.
PART TWO
Philip: Hey, daughters
Nicole/Andrea/Yesenia/Litsey: Hi father
Luke: Hi girls. You want to go eat?
Yesenia: Let’s eat banana split.
Andrea: Yeah!
Litsey: It yummy, dad.
Andrea/Nicole: Yeah! Is delicious.
Andrea/Nicole/Yesenia/Litsey: Is good, dad. Girls Club.
Litsey: The End
By Daryn B, Graham
Once there was a pea sent to Earth from Planet Namec. The pea wanted to destroy the universe. The pea meets a clown and a grasshopper. They both wanted to destroy the universe. The clown wasn’t sure of doing that so he dropped out. The Pea and grasshopper wondered where the clown was. They made a bomb underground. The clown knew the plan, so at night the clown threw the bomb underwater. The pea went back to planet Namec and the grasshopper went underground to his home.
The End
By Alex and Maria, 4th Grade, Lorca
Characters: Cowboy, Cowgirl, Mom
Setting: Barn
Cowgirl: Let’s feed the sheep.
Cowboy: Give me the sheep (?)
Cowgirl: No, Cowboy I ‘m not gonna let you feed the sheep. (They fight)
Cowboy: That’s my sheep! (Pulls sheep’s fur)
Cowgirl: That’s my sheep, too! (Pulls sheep’s tail)
Cowboy: OUCH! (Falls in pig’s mud)
Cowgirl: OUCH! (Falls in horse’s food)
(They both laugh)
Mom: (Comes in and sees mess) You are in trouble! Open the door cowkids!
Cowgirl and Cowboy: NO! (they go to their room and hide)
Mom: (tries to open the door) Let me in!
Cowboy and Cowgirl: (Go out window)
Mom: (Chases them)
The End
