SHOCASE’s upcoming “Passport to the World” concert gala will take the audience around the world with special guests Johnathan Sterling, bagpiper David Brock and bellydancer Laura Ayllón, as well as a robust pool of local talent.
The performances start at 7:30 p.m. on April 5 in the Sweet Home High School auditorium, 1641 Long St. Those purchasing VIP tickets will also get to experience a pre-concert meet-and-greet at 6 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres catered by 1847 Bar & Grill, Serrano’s Taqueria, Spoleto’s and Taylor Made Bakery, as well as VIP seating during the performances.
To highlight the international theme of the gala, some performances will be done in German, French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese, as well as music from Ireland, Scotland and Jamaica. SHOCASE Board Member Shirley Austin highlighted one of the performers, Antonio Garcia, who can often be heard singing in the kitchen while working at Serrano’s Taqueria.
The VIP pre-concert reception hor d’ouerves will give attendees a taste of Mexican, Italian, Greek, German and French flavors.
Hosted by Susan Coleman and Bob Burford, the fifth annual gala will feature performances by local talents Ward Christman, David Dominy, Antonio Garcia, Trisha King, Loralai Mark, Sean Morgan, Ember Ogden, Olivia Saveskie, Scott Swanson, Ric Taylor, Henry Wolthuis, the SHHS Repertory Choir, and Stefani, Leia and Elsa Brown.
“It’s just amazing how much talent there is in this community,” Austin said. “It’s going to be a really good concert.”
The worldly affair will also feature well-established outside talent.
An Oregonian since 12, Johnathan Sterling has become known as an avid guitar player and musician of all genres. He said his sound has evolved over the years, with it currently sitting in an alternative rock – country combination. He plays original music as well as favorite cover bands with “a Johnathan twist.”
David Brock’s journey with the bagpipes began in 2011 when his wife noticed an ad in the local Prineville newspaper for lessons. Since then, he has participated in competitions from Eugene to British Columbia. Brock is a member of three military honor guards and has piped last rites for approximately 700 of his fellow veterans.
Bellydancer Laura Ayllón has danced since childhood, with a focus on bellydance during the last 15-plus years. With a background also in ballet, modern and flamenco dance, Ayllón has become known for her graceful lines and soulful performances. While she loves to move to music of all kinds, there is a special place in her heart for classical Arabic music.
SHOCASE (Sweet Home Oregon Coalition for Artistic and Scholastic Enrichment) was established in 2017 to support the arts in the community. The nonprofit’s goal is to advance a deeper understanding and appreciation for the arts in the Sweet Home community. This event showcases talented locals while raising funds to support the mission of SHOCASE.
“It’s one of the most elegant events in town because the performers are all dressed up in formalware,” Austin said. “It’s a way to showcase talent, not only in our community, but to bring in music and the arts to the community.”
Tickets to the 2025 SHOCASE Gala: Passport to the World can be purchased at The New Era (1313 Main St.) or online at shocase.ticketleap.com.
“If you’ve ever had a wish to travel the world, SHOCASE would like to take you on that trip with an evening of global performances,” Austin said. “Your ticket is your passport to the world.”
Local talent bios
Stefani Brown has been performing in choirs, bands and theater since she was 5 years old. She was a member of Oregon State’s all-female a cappella group “Divine” all through college. Brown is a former SHOCASE board member, and has been an elementary school counselor for the past 12 years in Sweet Home and Albany.
Youngsters Leia and Elsa Brown, Stefani’s daughters, recently moved to the Sweet Home area with their family and are loving the country life. They sing with their parents all the time and look forward to joining a choir someday. Leia is in kindergarten and wants to be a veterinarian, pilot and doctor. Elsa is in her first year of preschool and wants to be a pirate and a police officer.
Bob Burford spent 27 years with the Sweet Home Police Department, finishing the last 19 years as Chief of Police until his retirement in 2013. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va, and also served eastern Oregon as a police officer. Burford and his wife have two grown children and enjoy world travel. They are both active in volunteering for community activities. Burford currently serves as president of the Sweet Home Community Foundation.
Obadiah “Obie” Christman is a Class of 2027 student at SHHS. He was homeschooled while living in the Willamette Valley, and moved to Sweet Home in 2014. Christman’s love of music developed while studying under Lori Tuter at SHHS. He currently plays the flute and tenor saxophone as a member of the High School Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and Pep Band.
A bit of a Jack-of-all-trades, Ward Christman grew up in Mollala, Ore., and studied music at the University of Oregon. He has performed with the Eugene Opera and the Oregon Festival of American Music, as well as several SHOCASE productions, and was a singer/songwriter around the Willamette Valley in the 1990s. He has a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from UO, and 25-plus years of work in the tech industry. Christman is a SHOCASE board member.
Susan Coleman was born in Oregon and has lived in Sweet Home for 16 years. As the mayor of Sweet Home, she is deeply involved in the community and serves on various county boards. Alongside her husband of 30 years, Matt, they raised four children, and now have two sons-in-law and two grandchildren. With years of experience in education and government, Coleman now works with the nonprofit, Children’s Literacy Project.
Music has been a passion in David Dominy’s life since he was young. He was involved in every choir, band and musical theater performance he could during high school and attended the annual “Music in May” weekend music festival at Willamette University for four years. In college, Dominy performed with the Linn-Benton Community College Concert and Chamber choirs, and helped form a barbershop quartet, The B Flats. He has performed at events as a keyboardist and vocalist with local bands and has sung the nation’s national anthem at numerous events throughout the Willamette Valley.
For more than 25 years, Dominy has immersed himself in music, singing and performing at dozens of venues, including the Oregon Jamboree, Willamette National Cemetery’s Memorial Day Ceremony and Albany’s 9-11 Memorial Ceremony. He performed a variety of genres including Christian contemporary, Americana, contemporary, classic rock, and classic country.
Dominy shares his gift of music as a soloist, with his kids, with the church worship team, in duets or small groups, and with the family musical group, Praise in 3-D. He also performed with the Lebanon Association for Theater Arts, Sweet Home Singing Christmas Tree as director and performer, and at local churches and SHOCASE events.
A bio for Antonio Garcia could not be obtained in time for publication.
Trisha Ann King came to Sweet Home 10 years ago and said she fell in love with the landscape, and with hiking every trail and logging road possible. She also enjoys photography and food, and loves her fiancé, kids, grandkids and all things Sunshine Industries, where she is office manager.
Loralai Mark has been passionate about singing since she was able to talk, always singing songs with her mom in the car. She started choir in the sixth grade and has been in it since. She is now a tenor in the Repertory Choir at SHHS.
Sean Morgan worked for The New Era newspaper for almost 25 years, and has been with the Sweet Home Police Department as evidence tech and CSO for almost five years. He loves music, plays a little guitar and sings a little, and also enjoys recording music. Morgan has appeared previously in a Chips-N-Splinters show, but usually you’ll find him behind the scenes as stage manager. He is also a SHOCASE board member.
Ember Ogden, 15, has been taking singing lessons for five years. She has always loved to sing, and took first place in the youth category in the 2023 SHOCASE Showdown talent competition. She also performed in “The Innkeepers” and at a previous SHOCASE Gala. Ember is also a competitive cheerleader, something she’s been doing since the age of 5. She has three sisters, two brothers, and three Maine coon cats.
Olivia Saveskie is a sophomore at SHHS. She has been playing the harp since she was 8 years old, and currently plays the harp and flute in the high school band. Her first solo performance was in 2024 when she played the prelude to “The Innkeeper.” In her free time, Olivia loves to dance ballet, act in the high school theater program, knit and rock climb.
Scott Swanson has been playing the piano since age 8. He has played in many weddings and accompanied church music for several decades. His primary teacher was his mother, who went on to become a well-known piano teacher in southern Oregon for many years before she retired. Swanson enjoys many different styles of music. He is editor and co-publisher of The New Era and Lebanon Local newspapers.
Ric Taylor grew up on a farm in Genola, Utah, where he learned the value of hard work, which was important to the success he enjoyed while earning his bachelor of arts in political science and master of arts in U.S. history. Taylor has always been interested in performative expression, leading to TV and movie parts, as well as improv comedy, but his passion lies in music. He has been involved in many musical projects as a singer/songwriter and loves the process of creating music. Taylor owns a local carpet cleaning business. He has four boys that he raised with his late wife, Liz.
Henry Wolthuis grew up in the family dairy business through which his father took a 12-base accordion in on a milk bill. Wolthuis began playing the accordion about age 6 and played for a variety of events in his youth. It has been his “fun” instrument, while his serious musical pursuit has been the organ.
Wolthuis moved to Sweet Home in 1967 and served the community’s dental needs for 46 years.
He and his wife, Bonita, have five children, all of which have some musical ability.