PlayMakers Laboratory Presents CELEBRATION OF AUTHORS - A Virtual Gala

PlayMakers Laboratory is pleased to present its virtual gala, Celebration of Authors, on Saturday, August 1, 2020 from 6 - 8 pm CDT (8 - 9 pm virtual after-party) streaming on Facebook Live and YouTube Live.

Support arts education with an evening of new digital adaptations of students' work, special celebrity appearances, musical performances, alumni interviews, a raffle and more. The gala is hosted by Vocalo's 91.1FM's Jill Hopkins, with appearances by PML emeritus Christina Anthony from ABC's "Mixed-ish" and Carly Ciarrocchi from Universal Kids' "Snug House" and "The Big Fun Crafty Show."

Celebration of Authors is FREE, however donations are encouraged. All proceeds support PlayMakers creative writing residencies in the Chicago Public Schools. For additional information, visit www.playmakerslab.org/events.

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.

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.