Stage Door Fine Arts, Ltd. is dedicated to enriching the lives of youth and young adults through music, art, and theatre.  We strive to give each participant a professional, disciplined experience while allowing for the chance to be creative, gain self esteem and most importantly, to have fun!
Don Smith and Paula Taylor established Stage Door Fine Arts with the goal of providing a theatrical outlet for children of all ages that stretches beyond the average elementary, middle, or high school level.  Both share a great passion for arts and education, and have extensive experience in performing and directing throughout the United States.
It is our hope that Stage Door Fine Arts continues to grow to offer many more performance opportunities, workshops, and classes in the future. 
Don is thrilled to continue his role as a director and mentor to youth through Stage Door Fine Arts. After graduating from Millikin University in Decatur, IL with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre, Don spent three years in New York City working as a performer, teacher, nanny and film extra (most notably in Spiderman 3). Most recent to establishing Stage Door Fine Arts, Don was the Director of Musical Theatre for Oakbrook Academy of Music & Art where he taught vocal lessons, drama classes and directed and vocal directed all musical productions beginning in the Summer of 2007. Previous to becoming a full time teacher and director for Oakbrook Academy Don worked as a guest director and taught various classes and workshops for the academy starting in 2001. Don is very proud of his work with Oakbrook Academy and is thrilled to have had the opportunity to help their program grow and change while working with some wonderful people! Previously he has taught voice and drama for Applause Theatrical Workshops/Broadway Babies in New York City, Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan, IL, Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, The Grand Lake Colorado Park District, and as the Fellowship Choir Director for First Congregational Church of Downers Grove. While at Millikin Don completed a three-year honors research project on the educating of children and adults through musical theatre, culminating in the direction of the main stage musical production, Honk! which included a cast of children and adults. Other directing credits include Seussical the Musical, All Shook Up!, Lucky Stiff, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Once on This Island, Bye Bye Birdie, john & jen, Songs for a New World, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (3 times!), and many one-act plays. In addition to teaching and directing, Don continues to perform and has appeared in over 50 productions. He is thrilled to continue to share his knowledge and expertise with the youth of the Chicagoland area. Contact Don at Don@stagedoorfinearts.com mailto:Don@stagedoorfinearts.comshapeimage_1_link_0
Don Smith
Paula has a huge love for theatre, music, and the education of children through the arts.  She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Acting from Millikin University in Decatur, IL.  Paula continues to dance at the Lou Conte Dance Studios in Chicago and perform with various theaters in the city.  She has worked extensively teaching, directing, and choreographing children of all ages and backgrounds for over 10 years.  Paula worked for the Oakbrook Academy of Music & Art for 5 years, teaching pre-school piano, acting lessons, and dance classes.  With Oakbrook Academy, Paula directed such productions as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Phantom Tollbooth, and How to Eat Like a Child, and choreographed The Music Man, Annie, 42nd Street, Honk!, Anything Goes, Once on this Island, Beauty and the Beast, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, All Shook Up, and Seussical.  She is best known for bringing 60 children, ages 9-18, to tap triple time steps all at the same time!   Paula currently performs with, directs, music directs, and choreographs for Alphabet Soup Productions, a national award winning children's theatre that brings musical fairy-tales with a modern day twist to children of all ages.  With Alphabet Soup, Paula has been involved in A Christmas Toyshop, Alice in Wonderland, and The Three LIttle Pigs, to name a few.  Prior to her move to Chicago, Paula performed and directed with Prairie Fire Children's Theatre, offering theatre performance opportunities for children in rural areas throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.  In addition, Paula has performed in over 75 productions throughout Indiana and Illinois.   With Stage Door Fine Arts, Paula looks forward to continuing the education of children through music and the arts. Contact Paula at Paula@stagedoorfinearts.commailto:Paula@stagedoorfinearts.comshapeimage_2_link_0
About the Directors...
Paula Taylor