Contact Us

Please feel free to reach out to school staff with questions and feedback.

Address: 20 S Stolp Ave, Aurora IL 60506
Phone: 630-896-6810
Email: school@paramountarts.com

Employment Opportunities

CONTACT US

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School Staff

School Administration Staff

Jessica M. Duplessis

Director of Education and Community Engagement

Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre, Dance, and Film Education (TADF) with a specialization in theater and dance education from Keene State College (Keene NH). Jessica previously served as the education manager upon the opening of PSA and has enjoyed the opportunity to be a hands on participant in the growth and development of the school. Jessica is an accomplished dance and theater educator as well as choreographer. Jessica is committed to the continued growth of Paramount School of the Arts, its programs and the school and theater’s connection to the beautiful Aurora community.

Liz Hilsabeck

School Manager

Liz is so excited to be a part of the Paramount School of the Arts!  She began teaching dance and musical theatre after earning her BA in Theatre from The University of Wisconsin-Madison and has taught and directed at several different schools throughout the Chicagoland area.

Josely Hernandez

School Experience Coordinator

Josely is elated to be joining Team Education here at the Paramount School of the Arts! Combining her two greatest loves- the Paramount and kids- she can’t wait to work alongside this amazing team of teachers and staff to continue bringing the arts to Aurora

Jazmine Robinson

Education Associate

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Teaching Artists

Teaching Artists

Harriet Plumpp

Teaching Artist/Acting & Voice

Harriet Nzinga Plumpp is a Chicago native and has been a working actor for over 2 decades.  Her roots began as a singer in Chicago Children’s Choir and her love for the performing arts grew from there.  She graduated from Depauw University, in Greencastle, IN, with a degree in Vocal Performance. Harriet toured the Middle East and North Africa performing as a cast member of Side by Side by Sondheim with Chicago’s Pegasus Players Theatre.  She has performed various roles in shows at Court Theatre, The Goodman, John F. Kennedy Center, The Lyric Opera and the Paramount Theatre, to name a few. Harriet also enjoys teaching and sharing her knowledge of music and theater. She is honored to be a teaching artist at Paramount School of the Arts.

Jenna Gagliano

Teaching Artist/Dance

Jenna is very excited to continue her adventure with the Paramount School of the Arts! She has been dancing since she was a little girl and her passion continues to grow as she dances through adulthood. A graduate of Illinois State University, Jenna majored in theatre and has had the opportunity to work with students of all ages year after year. While at home, she enjoys bike rides with her 11 year old, baking with her 5 year old, and dancing with her 3 year old.

Jessica M. Duplessis

Director of Education & Community Engagement

Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree in Theatre, Dance, and Film Education (TADF) with a specialization in theater and dance education from Keene State College (Keene NH). Jessica is an accomplished dance educator and is known for her contemporary lyrical, and musical theater choreography.  She is most proud of her ability to teach all styles of dance to all levels. Jessica truly believes that everyone is a dancer! Jessica also is the Artistic Director of PSA’s official dance company Paramount Dance Project (PDP) and enjoys providing an artistic home for dancers to grow into the young artists of tomorrow.

Dyanna Daniels

Teaching Artist/Dance

Dyanna has had a wonderful career of performance, choreographing, teaching, and directing. Over the years, her choreography has been featured at World of Dance Chicago, Midwest Wizard World Conventions, Carnival Choreographer’s Ball Chicago, Prelude Midwest, Going Dutch, MotorCity Casino Detroit, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, and The Chicago Auto Show! Dyanna also had a long career of choreographing Flash Mobs where she received the opportunity to choreograph for Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition in 2013. She recently co-directed North Central College’s Spring Dance Show ‘Surrender’ and choreographed ‘Don’t Say Me’ for Aurora University’s Spring Musical ‘Fugitive Songs’.

Tommy Novak

Teaching Artist/Acting

Tommy Novak (they/them/their) is a non-binary, Chicago-based Equity actor, director, teaching artist and an adjunct professor of music theatre at Carthage College in Kenosha Wisconsin. In addition to being on faculty Tommy holds a Masters in Music and Music Theater Vocal Pedagogy from Carthage. Tommy has worked as an actor and director for both regional and international theater companies.

Liz Hilsabeck

School Manager

Liz is so excited to be a part of the Paramount School of the Arts!  She began teaching dance and musical theatre after earning her BA in Theatre from The University of Wisconsin-Madison and has taught and directed at several different schools throughout the Chicagoland area.

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ACCA Board & City of Aurora

AURORA CIVIC CENTER AUTHORITY BOARD

Aurora Civic Center Authority is the owner and operator of Paramount School of the Arts.

Chairman
Jonathan Hylton

Vice Chairman
Gina Moga

Treasurer
John Savage

Secretary
Mike Baum

Members
Kevin Fitzpatrick, Hon. R. Peter Grometer, Cynthia Latimer, Christine Goerlich Weber

Legal Counsel
Bruce Goldsmith

CITY OF AURORA

Paramount programming is partially funded by the City of Aurora.

MAYOR
Richard C. Irvin

ALDERMEN
1st Ward Kristina “Tina” Bohman
2nd Ward Juany Garza
3rd Ward Ted Mesiacos
4th Ward Bill Donnell
5th Ward Carl Franco
6th Ward Michael B. Saville
7th Ward Scheketa Hart-Burns
8th Ward Richard B. “Rick” Mervine
9th Ward Edward Bugg
10th Ward Judd Lofchie
At Large Robert J. O’Connor

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