Paramount School of the Arts
Paramount School of the Arts in the John C. Dunham Aurora Arts Center, 20 S Stolp Ave, Aurora, IL 60506
About
Paramount School of the Arts offers a wide range of theater, dance, music, and related classes, including Theater Classes, Dance Classes, and Music and More. Students can take part in specific programs such as K Pop Cuties, Triple Threat Kids, Musical Theater Dance Camp, Sketch Comedy Camp, Technical Theater Camp, and Paramount Dance Project (PDP) Camp. The program also offers Adult Acting, Adult Classes, an Auditioning Technique Master Class, a Legally Blonde Broadway Intensive, a Wizard of Oz Broadway Intensive, and a Once Master Class.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
Paramount School of the Arts offers classes for all ages, from newborns to adults, in theater, music, dance, and visual arts. The program states that it is home to kids who feel differently, dream differently, and express themselves differently, and that it is for teens who are described as braver, bolder, and more determined. It also states that it is for adults and seniors who are still dreaming, still growing, and still taking risks, and describes itself as a safe place to push oneself, learn perseverance, amplify creative voice and vision, and become a better human. On June 1, 2019, the school opened its doors with classes for all ages in these areas. The school notes that students have access to teaching artists and professionals in the country, including many who have appeared on the Paramount Theatre stage.
The leadership team includes Tim Rater, President & Chief Executive Officer; Jessica M. Duplessis, Director of Education and Community Engagement; Dyanna Daniels, Education Manager; Meagan Zahora, Education Manager; and Jim Jarvis, Chief Marketing & Programming Officer for ACCA and General Manager of RiverEdge Park. Jessica M. Duplessis holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre, Dance, and Film Education with a specialization in theater and dance education from Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire. Dyanna Daniels received her Bachelor of Business in Marketing in 2008 and her MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University in 2018. Meagan Zahora obtained her master’s degree in Theatre Directing from Roosevelt University in 2023. The school notes that Jessica M. Duplessis is committed to the continued growth of Paramount School of the Arts, its programs, and its connection to the Aurora community.
Parent and student comments about the program include statements such as “I love the Paramount and this was definitely worth it!” from a student in the Legally Blonde Broadway Intensive and “[The class] got my daughter out of her shell. Loved it!” from a parent of a Wizard of Oz Broadway Intensive participant. Other students in the Legally Blonde Broadway Intensive said, “I loved working with the amazing creative team and people here!” and “This was a really amazing experience…. I will remember it always,” and one added, “It was such a cool experience. I will definitely be coming back!” A parent on Facebook thanked the program for giving Wizard of Oz intensive participants the chance to sit in on the last dress rehearsal and learn about technical aspects of theater, calling it “a very special opportunity which is letting the kids learn about all the aspects of theatre.” A Coal City High School Theatre teacher thanked Paramount School of the Arts for the Auditioning Technique Master Class connected to Once, stating that students “were in awe of the production, and learned a plethora of knowledge from the actors and your staff.”
Last updated May 27, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
Paramount School of the Arts offers classes for all ages, from newborns to adults, in theater, music, dance, and visual arts. The program states that it is home to kids who feel differently, dream differently, and express themselves differently, and that it is for teens who are described as braver, bolder, and more determined. It also states that it is for adults and seniors who are still dreaming, still growing, and still taking risks, and describes itself as a safe place to push oneself, learn perseverance, amplify creative voice and vision, and become a better human. On June 1, 2019, the school opened its doors with classes for all ages in these areas. The school notes that students have access to teaching artists and professionals in the country, including many who have appeared on the Paramount Theatre stage.
The leadership team includes Tim Rater, President & Chief Executive Officer; Jessica M. Duplessis, Director of Education and Community Engagement; Dyanna Daniels, Education Manager; Meagan Zahora, Education Manager; and Jim Jarvis, Chief Marketing & Programming Officer for ACCA and General Manager of RiverEdge Park. Jessica M. Duplessis holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre, Dance, and Film Education with a specialization in theater and dance education from Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire. Dyanna Daniels received her Bachelor of Business in Marketing in 2008 and her MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University in 2018. Meagan Zahora obtained her master’s degree in Theatre Directing from Roosevelt University in 2023. The school notes that Jessica M. Duplessis is committed to the continued growth of Paramount School of the Arts, its programs, and its connection to the Aurora community.
Parent and student comments about the program include statements such as “I love the Paramount and this was definitely worth it!” from a student in the Legally Blonde Broadway Intensive and “[The class] got my daughter out of her shell. Loved it!” from a parent of a Wizard of Oz Broadway Intensive participant. Other students in the Legally Blonde Broadway Intensive said, “I loved working with the amazing creative team and people here!” and “This was a really amazing experience…. I will remember it always,” and one added, “It was such a cool experience. I will definitely be coming back!” A parent on Facebook thanked the program for giving Wizard of Oz intensive participants the chance to sit in on the last dress rehearsal and learn about technical aspects of theater, calling it “a very special opportunity which is letting the kids learn about all the aspects of theatre.” A Coal City High School Theatre teacher thanked Paramount School of the Arts for the Auditioning Technique Master Class connected to Once, stating that students “were in awe of the production, and learned a plethora of knowledge from the actors and your staff.”
Last updated May 27, 2026.
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