Matthew Stalheim is a proud father of two and a Sweet Home native that has returned after 20 years away. He saw a lot of places in the Army from the German Alps to Afghanistan’s mountains. Yet he says he has still never seen a finer sight than our Foster lake. After a short time riding in helicopters, he thought it was time to come home.
He Graduated from Colorado Technical University and Oregon State University with a Bachelors in both Criminal Justice and Economics respectively. He used those degrees while working for the State of Oregon up in Salem, but found that he wasn’t a fan of city life. Now he feels truly home, and is starting anew. He is a huge fan of Johnny Cash, riding motorcycles, and getting outside, so he says that being back in his home in Sweet Home, “Suits me fine.”
Cathy is a receptionist for the Truax corporation. She has 2 beautiful kids Jackson, 8 and Scarlett , 3 and an amazing husband she’s been with for almost 8 years. Cathy has been in a handful of SHOCASE and other productions for about 10 years, several SHARC/SHOCASE Showdown Talent competitions in which she’s won or placed in the top three, as well as competed and placed in the top tier of the Tallman Talent Search in 2025.
Amanda Wilde. is a singer song/writer and recording artist. She has been passionate
about music since she was a kid growing up in Texas. She is an active volunteer in her
community at the Friends of the Library bookstore and is one of the worship
team leaders at Holley Christian Church.
Amanda has performed locally in Chips-N-Splinters, for the Opening Act Foundation’s VFW benefit event, and was the 2025 SHOCASE Showdown talent show winner. Recently, she and her music partner, Buzzy Strings, started
a Christian band, Blue Collar Jesus, which has been performing locally
and has released two songs. Amanda feels it is a blessing to be able to live her music
dreams.
Dakota Harris is a 21 year old local and upcoming Lane county musician who has spent a lot of time on the stages of many local venues. Dakota attends Lane Community College. He is getting an associates degree in Music Science.
Dakota enjoys music from the past – Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Bobby Darin are some of Dakota’s favorite artists to pay tribute to. Dakota loves being out in the community performing, and he is very much looking forward to
sharing his love for music with all of you!
Melody Jordan is a singer/songwriter and live performer blending pop, rock, and acoustic storytelling with a touch of country influence. Raised in a musical family and shaped by years of live performance, her sound draws inspiration from artists like Alanis Morissette, Fleetwood Mac, Taylor Swift, and Paramore. Known for her powerful vocals and sharp, skilled lyricism, Melody performs across Oregon while actively writing and recording her upcoming full-length album, continuing to evolve her sound and connect with audiences through both originals and thoughtfully chosen covers. See upcoming performances and hear Melody’s original music at melodyjordanmusic.com.
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 5 years. He loves music, plays a little guitar and sings a little, and also enjoys recording music in his home studio.
Sean has appeared previously in a Chips-N-Splinters show for SHOCASE, but usually you will find him behind the scenes acting as the stage manager and helping all of the other performers look good. Sean is also a member of the Board of Directors of SHOCASE.
Scott Swanson has been playing the piano since age 8 and has played in many weddings and accompanied church music for several decades. He enjoys many different styles of music. Scott’s primary teacher was his mother, who went on to become a well-known piano teacher in Southern Oregon for many years before her retirement. Scott is the editor and co-publisher of The New Era newspaper covering Sweet Home and Lebanon and East Linn county news.
Also performing tonight were Ember Ogden, a local Junior in High School, and Sweet Home High School cheerleader, and Ward Christman. Ember was one of the winners of the 2024 SHOCASE Showdown, and has performed in several other SHOCASE productions including prior years of the GALA, the Chips-N-Splinters show, and the annual nativity show, “The Innkeepers.”
Ward is a member of the SHOCASE Board of Directors, so we have to let him perform or he disrupts the meetings with his crying.