PlayMakers Laboratory is pleased to present Celebration of Authors Gala: A Family Friendly FUN-draiser, the company’s annual gala and a family-friendly, interactive festival all wrapped into one fun-filled BRUNCH event on Saturday, June 27 from 12:30 – 3:30 pm at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St. in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood.
The festive celebration will feature a brunch buffet, beverages (open bar for adults guests), games, a silent auction (also available online), a 360-photo booth and, of course, live performances of stories written by Chicago students throughout the 2025/26 school year, adapted and performed by PML company members. Attire is “Fancy Schmancy” (dressed to the nines – or something fun and silly that expresses you!) All proceeds support PML’s creative writing programming in partnership with Chicago Public Schools.
PlayMakers Laboratory company members perform a student-written story at the Celebration of Authors. Photo by Jared Verdejo.
The cast includes Company Members Jen Allman, Elijah Cox, Otto Anzures Dadda, Daniela Kreidler, Jonathan Lee-Rey, Robbin Major, Julie Matolo, Sam Nieves, Yongwoo Park, Erin Smith, Jacqui Touchet, Lex Mann Turner and Myanne Zachary.
Production team: Brandon Cloyd (Director) and Daniel Parsons (Stage Manager).
PML will also present its “Storyteller of the Year Award” to Isabella Wilhemy Sanchez, a special effects make up designer, and former PlayMakers Laboratory student. Sanchez has been in the performing arts ever since she was a student at PML. 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 storytelling was nurtured by the teaching artists at PML and she thrilled to join guests at the Celebration of Authors gala to share more of her journey, and to celebrate creatives of all ages in Chicago.
Tickets ($77.55* for adults, $51.80 for youth 4 – 15) are currently available at playmakerslab.org/events/celebration-of-authors. Children 3 years of age an under can attend for free. *Ticket prices include processing fees.
The Celebration of Authors Gala 2026 is sponsored by Wintrust Bank and Forward Space.
About PlayMakers Laboratory
For 29 years, PlayMakers Lab has served the greater Chicago area providing a unique Creative Writing curriculum to young students. Our company of over 75 teaching-artists dedicate themselves to sharing the joy of theatre and literacy with students both during school and in our after-school programs. Each year, our programs serve more than 4,000 young people in schools and parks across Chicago. You can help propel us into our 29th year of radically kind arts education by supporting today.
PlayMakers Laboratory is sponsored in part by Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, The Crown Family Philanthropies, The Field Foundation, The Mardi Gras Fund, Illinois Arts Council, Paul M. Angell Foundation, The Polk Bros Foundation, Siragusa Family Foundation, S&C Electric and generous individuals like you!