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 Jade, Brandon, Darius, David, Nashawn, Thomas, Bria, 4th Grade, Trumbull
That's Weird, Grandma
When the Monkey teachers came to school, there were substitutes. And they weren’t people. They were
vampires, zombies, witches, werewolves, and ghosts. The students get scared and scream. The Zombie
Monkey eats the teacher because she said, “This is a monstrosity!” The Evil Monkeys start telling
scary stories that they did themselves. Then they played two warmup games called “Eat the Children”
and “Summoning Demons.” So they eat half the kids and demons come. The rest of the kids, the survivors,
make weapons out of their school supplies. Then the survivors transform into creatures and kill the demons.
They all do the scary goodbye sign.
By Marcellious G., 4th Grade, Stockton
True Stories
That's Weird, Grandma
The ice cream man took my money but did notgive me my ice cream and drove off.
By Atziry, 4th Grade, Lorca
Spanish
That's Weird, Grandma
A un conejo no lo querian y los grandes conejos vinieron y le pegaron. y cuando fuea su casa su mama le dijo que te paso y el conejo dise es que los grandes Conejos me pegaron. y por eso estoy moretiado
papa puedes ir conmigo a la tienda es que tengo miedo que los conejos grandes me pegen. Y su papa vio a los grandes conejos y les pego para que ya no le pege asu hijo y ya no le pegaron a su hijo y ya no van a ir ala casa de conejito.
Translation: Once there was a rabbit whodidn’t want the big rabbits to come and beat him up. And when he went to hishouse his mom said, “what happened to you?” and the rabbit said, “It’s those big rabbits, they beat me and because of this I’m bruised.” “Papa can you come with me to the store because I’m afraid that those big rabbits are gonna get me.” and his Papa saw the big rabbits and he spanked them so that they wouldn’t beat up his child. And they didn’t beat up his child. And they didn’t go to the house of the little rabbit.
By Dominique R. , 3rd Grade, New Sullivan
That's Weird, Grandma
There once was a hospital for ninja only the ninja was hurt very
bad it was so bad he could not walk because he got ran over by a
car his legs was broke he was bloody so another ninja call the
police so he got rushed to the hospital he was ok I was happy he
was ok so I smiled I work at the hospital with Tom and we get
along. The End
By Bianca R. , 4th Grade, Lorca
That's Weird, Grandma
One day there was a boy whos name was Fred Fredburger. He loves nachos. One day he was going to
work. So be brought nachos to work. When it was his lunch break he finished the nachos. When he
was at a meeting he interrupted his boss and said, “does anyone have NACHOS?” They all said “NO
WE DON’T” The boss had a bad headache. So he yelled “THAT IS ENOUGH” They all didn’t say a word.
The boss said nicely and carefully, “No Fred, we have no nachos.” Then Fred Fredburger said, “OK
that is all you have to say.” They got back to work. The boss was talking and Fred Fredburger
well…He still loves nachos, so he went to the store and bought 31 bags of nachos every month. so
when he gets to work he can be happy to eat all of them one at a time. THE END
I LIKE NACHOS. OK FRED FREDBURGER
By Vanessa M. , 4th Grade, Little Village
That's Weird, Grandma
Once upon a time there was a boy named Jimmy and a girl named Daisy. One day Jimmy was
walking down the street and saw Daisy. Jimmy said hi what are you doing? Daisy didn’t answer.
Do you want to go with me and see a movie. Daisy still didn’t answer. Then when Jimmy was
going to say something Daisy said !Hi!. Daisy! Jimmy said you talk. Well ya I do. Why didn’t
you say something when I was talking to you said Jimmy. I didn’t saw you. How! can you not
see me if I’m next to you! I need glasses said Daisy. Yes yes you do. And Daisy never learned.
By Joyce K. , 5th Grade, Chalmers
True Stories
That's Weird, Grandma
One day when I was at camp my camp teacher Miss Norra said we was putting on a play that she made up and we was going to have auditions for the lead and I got the part and I had to practice every day. All my friends was mad and glad because they wanted the part but lease one of us got the part. When it came to show time I was nervous as a jitter bug at night but then my friend Malika told me it is going to be all right just take three deep breaths and calm down and I did. When the show started I did great and my mother gave me a big bouquet of roses and I was happy. The End
By Cesar P. , 4th Grade, Trumbull
Dialogues
That's Weird, Grandma
Bowser swallows super baby and the vampire and the Alien
Bowser: I have a tummy ach
Super Baby: Let me out!!! (angry)
Alien: What did we ever did to you!
Bowser: Why do I hear noises I think that’s the kids. (wondering)
Vampire: If you don’t let me out I will uhh and make your mom fat and suck all her blood! (joking)
Alien: I am going to take you to space and you will never come back (serious)
Super Baby: Ahh! I can’t take it anymore!
Super Baby (punching Bowser’s stomach)
Bowser: I think I going to puke (pukes)
Super Baby: yay I’m out now I can see my mom.
Vampire: yesh! I can finally leave (leaves)
Alien: I am going back to my planet (goes back home)
The End
Part II: Setting- Graveyard
Vampire: I am inviting you guys to my birthday party except Bowser.
Super Baby: cool! (so excited)
Alien: I’ll be there!
Vampire: fantastic! (glad)
Bowser: Why not me?
Vampire: Because you ate me! and it took you a long time to get me out! (angry)
and you never said sorry!
Bowser: so
Super Baby: Bowser leave Vampire alone (talking)
Bowser: (leaves sad)
Super Baby and Alien: What time do we get there? (wonders)
Vampire: at 8:30
Super Baby: Got it I better write this down (writes)
Alien: Ok (happy)
Bowser: Hey! Alien what do I do so I could go to Vampire’s party.
Alien: Just say sorry
Bowser: Ok thank you.
Alien: No problem.
Bowser: I am sorry Vampire
Vampire: Finally you say sorry and it’s ok. Come in please.
Bowser: Ok cool party! (surprised)
Vampire: Thanks.
Bowser: your welcome (happy)
The End
By Alexis O., 4th Grade, Dixon
That's Weird, Grandma
Once there was a man named Jeff, and, when he was at work he was thinking about his wife and then he wrote a letter to her:
Dear Tiffany,
I have been doing a lot of thinking
and I think we should go to Las Vegas, Nevada.
It would be a great vacation,
and we could get away from the stress.
Love,
Jeff
Then he took it home and brought it home to her. The next day they went to Vegas. They rode a boat, and they had sooo much fun. They even took many, many pictures. When it was time to go Tiffany cried and so did Jeff. So they rode the boat again and they made out the whole time.
THE END
By Daniel R., 3rd Grade, Lorca
Dialogues
That's Weird, Grandma
P: let’s go to on a vacation on a ship.
R: OK
P: Wepe
R: Don’t do that you push lever.
P: Ooh ooh I pushed it.
R: See what you did now are going sink.
P: Oh no I don’t want to sink
R: but don’t worry just sit down!
P: but we are underwater (hit on a rock and fell on).
R: (crying) and he sees a ghost.
