Playmakers Laboratory Theatre

Playmakers Laboratory Theatre Vision: A radically kind Chicago that champions children’s ideas

Playmakers Laboratory is an arts education that teaches creative writing and theatre to 3rd-5th grade students in Chicago Public Schools. The stories written by our students are then adapted into sketches, songs, plays, and videos in an effort to celebrate and amplify the voices of young people.

Thanks to all who made That’s Weird, Grandma!’s 25th Anniversary a success! As PlayMakers enters its 30th year, we need ...
09/09/2026

Thanks to all who made That’s Weird, Grandma!’s 25th Anniversary a success!

As PlayMakers enters its 30th year, we need your help. Please consider making a donation to PlayMakers Laboratory by clicking the link in our bio. Your donation helps us bring incredible arts programs into our public schools that need it the most.

🔗 in bio to donate!

09/02/2026

We’re on WGN!

Watch PML Program Director Brandon Cloyd and PML student Harry’s interview on WGN. For the full interview, click the link in our bio!

Last chance to see the show is this Saturday & Sunday at 2 PM at the Neofuturists. 50% all tickets with code “LABORDAY”—ticket link in bio!

🎁SURPRISE!🎁 Tickets are half off for our supporters! Use code “LABORDAY” in checkout to get 50% off all tickets. Two mor...
09/01/2026

🎁SURPRISE!🎁 Tickets are half off for our supporters!

Use code “LABORDAY” in checkout to get 50% off all tickets. Two more shows left: Saturday, September 5 & Sunday, September 6 at 2 PM The Neo-Futurists

Ticket link is in our bio!

Don’t miss the last weekend of That’s Weird, Grandma!! Just two more chances to see the show on Saturday, September 5 & ...
08/31/2026

Don’t miss the last weekend of That’s Weird, Grandma!! Just two more chances to see the show on Saturday, September 5 & Sunday, September 6 at 2 PM at the The Neo-Futurists

⭐️Get 50% your ticket by using discount code “LABORDAY” ⭐️

Ticket link is in our bio!

This weekend is the LAST CHANCE to see That’s Weird, Grandma’s 25th Birthday! Come see stories from across 25 years of T...
08/31/2026

This weekend is the LAST CHANCE to see That’s Weird, Grandma’s 25th Birthday!

Come see stories from across 25 years of That’s Weird, Grandma! with new special guests each day. 2 PM Saturday & Sunday, September 5-6 at the The Neo-Futurists

Buy tickets by clicking the 🔗 in our bio.

“What is impressive is just how well the teaching artists could see through the children’s young work and know exactly h...
08/29/2026

“What is impressive is just how well the teaching artists could see through the children’s young work and know exactly how to develop it and jazz it up…it is being recommended. That’s because of how well a creative writing program run by Playmakers Laboratory can support a young student’s creativity and bolster their self-esteem. As an audience member, seeing the teaching artists on stage together with their optimistic idealism is infectious!”

Read the full review from Around the Town by clicking the link in our bio.

“No wonder director Brandon Cloyd and the cast can’t hide their excitement. Presented for the last 25 years at the Neo-F...
08/28/2026

“No wonder director Brandon Cloyd and the cast can’t hide their excitement. Presented for the last 25 years at the Neo-Futurist Theater, That’s Weird, Grandma provides an hour of escape from adult common sense…it’s a fine place to giggle at the audition of a giraffe who desperately wants to join the circus or a song about a burping bunny.”

Read the full review in our linktree 🔗

That’s Weird, Grandma’s 25th Birthday runs until September 6 at the The Neo-Futurists!Chicago Elementary School students...
08/27/2026

That’s Weird, Grandma’s 25th Birthday runs until September 6 at the The Neo-Futurists!

Chicago Elementary School students stories from the past 25 years are brought to life by PML’s ensemble of professional comedians, actors, and musicians. Tickets are in our bio.

Saturdays & Sundays at 2 PM $25 Adults/$15 kids

Photos by Evan Hanover Evan Hanover

08/25/2026

This is “Jerry the Tooth Bunny” by first graders Mariel, Ari, Ava, Vanessa, CC, Charlotte, Genevieve, Aiden, and Rowen from Bell Elementary. Read their story below!

Jerry was a tooth bunny who collected teeth because he wanted to be a tooth fairy. A tooth bunny! He went to a cottage where a kid had lost his teeth. It ws 3am in the night. It was very dark, with the moon out. When he went in the cottage, he couldn’t find the teeth that the kid lost. He was sad. He quietly walked out of the cottage and said “ I guess I’m not a toothbunny anymore.” He tried to get teeth from another kid, but he failed again and again and again and again. But! He saw one more cottage. He went inside and saw 3 teeth on the ground. He was excited. He said “who lost these!? I can take the teeth and leave some coins!” He left the coins and he said “I am a tooth bunny!” And he lived happily ever after. The End. Until the next tooth is lost Dun Dun Dunnnnn. The End.

Come see That’s Weird, Grandma! Closing September 6. Tickets 🔗 in bio!

📸: Mega Snaps Inc

Two weekends left of That’s Weird, Grandma!’s 25th Anniversary and all-new returning guest performers! Get your tickets ...
08/24/2026

Two weekends left of That’s Weird, Grandma!’s 25th Anniversary and all-new returning guest performers!

Get your tickets at Playmakerslab.org or by clicking the link in our bio. $25 Adults, $15 kids!

Address

4850 N. Broadway, P. O Box 408368
Chicago, IL
60649

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