PlayMaker's Laboratory to Present Celebration of Authors Gala: A Family Friendly FUNdraiser in June

PlayMakers Laboratory will present Celebration of Authors Gala: A Family Friendly FUNdraiser, the company's annual gala and a family-friendly, interactive festival all wrapped into one fun-filled evening on Friday, June 16 from 6:30 - 10:30 pm at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St. in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.

The festive evening will feature food and drink, games, a raffle and silent auction and, of course, live performances of stories written by Chicago students throughout the 2022-23 school year, adapted and performed by PML company members. All proceeds support PML's continued arts education programming in Chicago elementary schools.

PML will also present its inaugural "PlayMaker of the Year Award" to emeritus company member Christina Anthony, for her work in supporting youth voices through her national platform. Most recently, Anthony was a series regular on ABC's Mix-ish and starred opposite Kristen Bell in the Netflix series The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window. This spring, she appeared in NBC's Non-Evil Twin, a sitcom pilot created and starring Amber Ruffin. Other favorites credits include The Rookie: Feds (ABC), Kenan (NBC), Key & Peele (Comedy Central), Mash Up (Comedy Central), Bunk'd (Disney) and Why Women Kill (Paramount+). Christina is also an alum of the Second City e.t.c.

Comments PML Executive Artistic Director Brandon Cloyd, "We are thrilled to be hosting Celebration of Authors Gala, featuring stories adapted from PML residencies this school year. This is our first big in-person event since 2019, so we hope you'll join us as we continue to celebrate the creativity of Chicago youth."

Early bird tickets ($35 for youth 15 and under, $50 for adults) are currently available through May 22, 2023 at playmakerslab.org/events/celebration-of-authors. Regular prices tickets are $50 for youth 15 and under, $75 for adults.

About PlayMakers Laboratory

Since PlayMakers Laboratory's inception in 1997 as Barrel of Monkeys, its teaching artists have served more than 60 Chicago Public Schools. Over 15,000 elementary school students have participated in the PlayMakers programs, which aim to build students' writing skills, improve self-esteem, and instill confidence in their ideas and abilities.

PlayMakers Laboratory is sponsored in part by Crown Family Philanthropies, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Illinois Humanities Foundation, Maurice R. and Meta G. Gross Foundation, Mardi Gras Fund, Polk Bros. Foundation, The Saints Foundation, Siragusa Family Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Paul M. Angell Foundation, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, The Chicago Community Trust and many other generous individuals.

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