Craftsmen for plaster are a very regional thing, but in CT you should be able to find someone. I know in MA they are around, and in at least some parts of NY.
Unless the painter has a lot of experience, even 2 coat is a different world than skim or drywall.

Try asking at a paint store, or even a local building supply that carries blue board ad other wall supplies. Some painting places advertise the ability to repair/replace plaster in the yellow pages. Looking under home improvement and home repair (some places do have a plaster repair heading also).

Plaster has the rather unforgiving property of being to hard to sand effectively, and if you do manage to sand it then absorbs paint differently for many coats were the surface layer was removed exposing the more porous interior.
Working the top finish layer actually compacts the plaster and helps create the very hard surface.

The final alternative is to apply 2 layers of 3/8 drywall bonded with a setting type joint compound (Durabond works well) and staggered seams.
The first layer should be taped with mesh tape and setting compound (one coat) and then the second layer applied with staggered seams. I use mesh and setting compound for the second layer also.
There used to be a product called 'Fiberbond' available that had very similar properties to plaster. Instead of cardboard faces it used shredded paper in the core of the board. It weighed like plaster (heavy sheets) and was very strong.
USG has a product that appears to be the same, but it is listed as a ÂFiberockÂ. There is an interior type that is not advertised as having any waterproof properties. It weighs about 70 pounds per 4x8x1/2 sheet, so a lift would be required.
I still have about 200 sheets of Fiberbond stashed away, so I have not tried the USG product.

Good luck. Nothing still beats full plaster for sound.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fiberock panels

Thanks will check it out!