Welcome
Thank you for being here with us.
This work was created as a space for remembrance, for the people we have lost, and the stories we carry. It exists because memory matters, and because love does not end when a life does.
The Remember Balloons Live! brings together artists, musicians, and storytellers to hold that truth with care. It is not meant to rush grief or resolve it, but to honor it, to let remembrance be both tender and communal, personal and shared.
This project was shaped through deep collaboration and trust. Every artist you will encounter here offered not only their craft, but their presence.
We are grateful to our partners, supporters, and to each person who entrusted us with the names and stories of their loved ones. Your courage and generosity are woven into this work.
Thank you for being part of this act of remembrance.
With gratitude,
Dominic and Ashley Moore-Dunson
Co-Executive Producers
Based on The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros
Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Book by Dominic Moore-Dunson
Directed and Choreographed by Dominic Moore-Dunson
Original Score and Arrangements by Theron Brown
Executive Produced by Ashley & Dominic Moore-Dunson
Creative Leadership
Dominic Moore-Dunson is an award-winning choreographer, director, and cultural thinker based in Akron, Ohio. A 2025 Lloyd Richards New Futures Fellow (SDC Foundation) and Dance Magazine 25 to Watch, his work examines race, memory, power, and belonging through movement, narrative, and interdisciplinary performance. His choreography has been presented nationally and featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Akron Beacon Journal. Dominic is a recipient of the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award and has held fellowships at Headlands Center for the Arts and Atlantic Center for the Arts. He is the creator of long-form signature works including the inCOPnegro Trilogy, The Remember Balloons National Tour, and The Block, an essay series blending storytelling, satire, and cultural critique.
Theron Brown is an internationally recognized jazz pianist, composer, and cultural leader based in Akron, Ohio. His work bridges technical mastery, deep musical lineage, and a commitment to community-centered artistry. Brown has performed nationally and abroad with his trio and in collaboration with leading orchestras and artists, and his music has been featured in concert halls, festivals, and educational institutions worldwide. He is the founder and artistic director of the Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival and serves as Professor of Practice in Jazz Piano at The University of Akron. Through performance, education, and cultural leadership, Brown continues to shape the future of jazz from the Midwest to the global stage.
The Artists
Dancers
Dominic Moore-Dunson - Grandpa
Larry White Jr -James
Morgan Grube - Mom
Kevin Parker Jr. - Dad
Stephanie Roston - Grandma
Musicians
Joe Leaman, Keyboard/Band Leader
Andru Dennis, Keyboard
Zaire Darden, Drums
Kevin Martinez, Bass/Bass Guitar
Dan Bruce, Guitar/Banjo
Tommy Lehman, Trumpet
Chris Coles, Sax
Brad Wagner, Sax/Clarinet
Kyrice Brunson, Baritone Sax
Chris Anderson, Trombone
Ben Bunting, Tuba
Andrea Belding, Violin
Susan Britton, Violin
Ann Yu, Violin
Amber Rogers, Viola
James Rhodes, Viola
David Ellis, Cello
Derek Snyder, Cello
Sue Yelanjian, Orchestral Bass
Creative Team
Dominic Moore-Dunson, Creator/Director/Choreographer
Theron Brown, Composer/Music Director/Arranger
Scott Leathers, Lighting Designer/Set Designer
William Odum/Sam Lowry, Projection Designers
Inda Blatch-Geib, Costume Designer
Production Team
Scott Leathers, Production Manager
Deborah Climo, Stage Manager
Coleton Wood Blaisdell, Assistant Lighting Designer
Stephanie Roston, Musician Logistics Coordinator
Joe Leaman, Band Leader
Ephraim Miller, Music Copyist
Project Team
Ashley Moore-Dunson, Co-Executive Producer
Dominic Moore-Dunson, Co-Executive Producer
Elaine Moore, Administrative Assistant
Rachel Hodrick, Graphic Designer
In Loving Memory and Honor of:
Alfredo Scarponi
Doug Moseley
Eleanor Ruppert
Esther Simonetti Owen
George & Winifred Hickson
Liz Wheeler
Tish Barsan
William Mullally
WillieAnn Ransome
W.C. Ray
Presenting Sponsors
Gold Balloon Sponsors
Silver Balloon Sponsors
Harvey and Kimberly Nelson
Family Fund
Purple Balloon Sponsors
Trina Carter
Red Balloon Sponsors
Akron Children's
Bob and Cherly Barson in memory of Tish Barson
Copeland Oaks
Direction Home
Elaine Y. Moore
Mark and Margaret Ruppert in Memory of Eleanor Ruppert
Martell School of Dance
W. Paul Mills and Thora J. Mills Memorial Foundation
Physio 330
Richard and Alita Rogers Family Foundation
Synthomer Foundation
Tom and Ginny Knolls
Pink Balloon Sponsors
Gary & Georgia Miller
Jan Bautista
John Lahl
The Laura Berick Foundation
Marks Family Foundation
Margaret & Phillip Lloyd
Mike & Julie Pasternak
P. David Dobish
Roger & Sally Read
Terry & Susan Yingling
With a Special Thank You to
NCC Akron
CATAC
Nashville Children’s Theater
Prima Balloons
Stay Connected
Follow the art beyond the stage
@theronbrown
@rememberballoonslive
Continue the experience with The Block Podcast, where we dive deeper into the ideas, collaborations, and cultural questions shaping this work.