PlayMakers Laboratory to Present Annual Benefit FANCY SCHMANCY: A GALA OF LIVING ART Honoring Christina Anthony

PlayMakers Laboratory will present its annual benefit: Fancy Schmancy: A Gala of Living Art on Saturday, April 4, 2020 from 7 - 11 pm (6 pm VIP reception) at its new venue, Wintrust's Grand Banking Hall, 231 S. LaSalle St. in Chicago. Support arts education and join PML for an evening of cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, a DJ, dancing and live entertainment, plus an exciting raffle and silent auction featuring pieces by artists from across the country. Proceeds support PML's "Summer of Stories," a new initiative to bring the company's hit revue That's Weird, Grandma to Chicago's South Side launching this summer.

PlayMakers Laboratory will also welcome PML alum and current star of the hit television sitcom "Mixed-ish," Christina Anthony, who will be honored with the company's inaugural "Storyteller of the Year" Award, which honors leaders in the arts who embody PML's core values of artistic excellence, radical kindness and advocacy for the marginalized voices of youth.

Comments PML's Executive Director Colette S. Gregory, "We are so proud to recognize Christina Anthony as our inaugural honoree for creating innovative work as a writer and performer, for her generous contributions as a former Playmakers Laboratory teaching artist and active emeritus company member, and for her ongoing contributions to telling the stories of underrepresented youth through her work on Mixed-ish."

Tickets for Fancy Schmancy: A Gala of Living Art are currently available at playmakerslab.org, with early bird discounts available through Monday, March 16. Online access to silent auction items, using GiveSmart auction technology, will be available in late March.

PlayMakers Laboratory, a Chicago-based arts education theater ensemble now in its 23rd season, conducts creative writing workshops with Chicago elementary school students and in its after-school program in partnership with Youth Guidance. The ensemble of actor-educators then turns their stories and poems into professionally performed theater, presented both in-school and for the general public through its revues. PML annually performs more than 300 stories for the students in their schools and 175 stories on the stage for the general public.

About Christina Anthony

Christina Anthony currently stars as Aunt Denise on ABC's hit show "Mixed-ish," the hilarious spin-off of "Black-ish" from creators Kenya Barris and Tracee Ellis Ross. A multi-talented actress, writer, vocalist and improviser, Anthony hails from the Chicago comedy scene, an alum of The Second City e.t.c. Chicago where she co-wrote three award-nominated sketch revues and performed in thousands of shows. She is also an alum of PlayMakers Laboratory (formerly Barrel of Monkeys), where she worked as a teaching artist and performer.

Her previous credits include "Key & Peele" (Comedy Central), "Mash Up" (Comedy Central), "Bajillion Dollar Properties" (Seeso), "Take My Wife" (Seeso), "Bunk'd" (Disney), "Why Women Kill" (CBS All Access), "ER" (NBC) and "The Dilemma" (Universal).

A charismatic theater performer and vocalist, she has also been seen Off-Broadway in Found (Atlantic Theatre), The Second City's Romeo + Juliet Musical (Chicago Shakespeare); The Art of Falling (Hubbard Street Dance Chicago + Second City - LA & Chicago); Radio Golf (Ensemble Theater-Cincinnati); Matt & Ben (JAM Theatricals); My Heart is Crying, Crying: The Jackie Wilson Story (Black Ensemble Theater); and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Dream Team).

As a writer, her original comedy pilot was a finalist in the TBS & Refinery29 RIOT Comedy Writers Lab and she frequently contributes to the Paper Machete, a live magazine. She currently performs stand up in Los Angeles.

EVENT DETAILS

Event: Fancy Schmancy: A Gala of Living Art

Date: Saturday, April 4, 2020 from 7 pm - 11 pm (VIP lounge opens at 6 pm)

Location: Wintrust's Grand Banking Hall, 231 S. LaSalle St. in Chicago

Attire: Choose to go FANCY (dressed to impress) or SCHMANCY (in art-inspired attire). Art-themed costumes are encouraged but by no means required.

Tickets: General admission: $85 early bird, $100 regular, $125 at the door; VIP tickets: $125 early bird, $150 regular, $175 at the door. Group VIP ticket (4 guests) $400 regular. Group VIP ticket (8 guests) $800 regular. All VIP tickets include 6 pm entry, access to a private bar featuring live music, two tickets to That's Weird, Grandma, and more. Tickets are currently available at playmakerslab.org. Early bird pricing is available through Monday, March 16.

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