Tickets on Sale for MATILDA JR. Presented by Paramount School of the Arts Performance Camp

Fifty talented Fox Valley-area kids are about to experience the thrill of a lifetime - their big Broadway in Aurora moment -  when the Paramount School of the Arts presents its first-ever Paramount Performance Camp production, Matilda Jr.  

Following three weeks of intensive rehearsals, five-days-a-week, working with Paramount’s professional artists and staff, the performers will present Matilda Jr. two-times-only: Friday, June 23 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 24 at 3 p.m.  

Paramount Theatre is located at 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora. Tickets are $15. To purchase, visit paramountaurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and until show time on show days.  

Matilda Jr. is a joyous musical romp about a special little girl with an extraordinary imagination. Cast members, who began three weeks of rehearsals today inside the Paramount School of the Arts, include Miranda Alvis (Hortensia), Aaliyah Brossett (Mrs. Phelps), Aria Brossett (Eric), Shirel Cassilas (Mechanic), Chase Clevenger (Bruce), Emily Conway (Acrobat), Kate Costello (Cook), Luke Diendorf (Sergei), William Diendorf (Trunchbull), Jack Doden (Nigel), Eleanor Donnelly (Alice), Katelyn Jacobsen (Big Kid 3), Audrey Leonard (Amanda), Kyra Maksymiw (Tommy), Leo Maggio (Michael Wormwood), Kiersten Massey (Matilda), Camila Morales (Big Kid 1), Quinn Ruxton (Big Kid 2), Joshua Sanchez (Mr. Wormwood), Molly Schroeder(Lavender), Derek Steinmetz (Rudolpho), Kaitlyn Urbanowicz (Mrs. Wormwood), Audrey Wagner (Miss Honey) and Sora Williams (Escapologist). Ensemble members are Nadia Arrelano, Millie Austin, Hattie Buetow, Eleanor Burlingame, Adhirit Chowdhary, Myra Chowdhary, Lillian Crosby, Hannah Downing, Audrina Glickman, Dania Gonzalez, Josie Guzman, Grayce Hunt, Sophia Immergluck, Alyssa Kelly, Abby Lunardini, Damien Lyles, Yasmine Macek, Mara Maggio, Nena Narayan, Jessica Schejbal, Harper Sherretz, Lauren Sobecki, Summer Stewart, Ellery Von Essen, Kate Widmer and Julia Wood.

“It’s such a treat to offer this unique opportunity to 50 young local artists to collaborate on a production with Paramount professionals for three weeks, then have the chance to shine on THE Paramount Theatre stage,” Jessica M. Duplessis, Director of Education and Community Engagement, Paramount School of the Arts. “In addition to improving their skills in the performing arts, our summer campers are developing key life skills that will serve them no matter what they do in life, like confidence, problem-solving and teamwork.”

Paramount’s own Bailey O’Neil, director, Lexie Bailey, choreographer, and Carolyn Brady, music director, supported by Paramount’s professional design and technical staff, are rehearsing the company for an audience pleaser of a show, filled with high-energy song and dance numbers, performed in full costume and on a professional set.  

Since opening in 2019, the Paramount School of the Arts has offered a deep roster of classes and camps for all ages - newborns to adults - in theater, music, dance and visual art. 

Limited spots are still available for more than a dozen week-long summer camp experiences for kids, starting June 26 and running through the end of summer. Examples include Smash The Audition for ages 11-18 (June 26-30), Musical Theater Dance Camp for grades 6-12 (July 17-21), Song Writing Campfor ages 12-19 (July 24-28), and Broadway Bops for ages 9-12 (July 17-21). 

The Paramount School of the Arts is located at 20 S. Stolp Ave., right around the corner from Paramount Theatre in downtown Aurora. To enroll or for information on class, camp and scholarship opportunities, visit paramountaurora.com/school, email school@paramountarts.com or call (630) 896-6810.

Matilda Jr. creative team biographies:

 
An Aurora native, Bailey O’Neil has worked with Paramount for the past five Broadway seasons as a young performer supervisor, most recently School of Rock, The Sound of Music and Fun Home. O’Neil has directed, music directed, and choreographed for numerous theater companies in the area, on youth productions including Willy Wonka, Spring Awakening and Little Mermaid Jr.

 
Lexie Bailey (choreographer) is a performer and choreographer, also born and raised in Aurora. Choreography credits include Paramount’s The Sound of Music (associate choreographer), Citadel Theater’s Little Shop of Horrors (associate director/choreographer) and Legally Blonde at Dr. Phillips Center in Orlando (choreographer). This summer, Bailey also will be choreographing Next to Normal for Paramount’s BOLD Series this summer. 

 
Carolyn Brady (music director) formerly served as Voice Faculty, Music Director, and Music Theory instructor for The Theatre Conservatory at Chicago College of the Performing Arts. Brady maintains a private voice studio with current and former clients who have performed with the Broadway cast of Book of Mormon, the national tour of School of Rock, NBC's The Voice, just to name a few.