Historic Ashland Armory to host celebration of film, music and local culture
By Lee Juillerat for Ashland.news
“Share the Stoke,” an event celebrating the premiere of a new film, “Mt. Ashland: More Than a Mountain,” will be featured at an upcoming two-night celebration of music, film, and community at the Historic Ashland Armory.
The film premiere and other activities will happen from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, and Saturday, Nov. 8. Tickets are $25 each night or $45 for both evenings.
Only a limited number are still available for each night. Tickets are available at watchwheelhouse.com
Tabitha Wheeler, a former Southern Oregon University student and owner of Wheelhouse Motion Pictures, said the “Share the Stoke” event is intended to “invite the community to come together for an unforgettable weekend of connection, creativity, and celebration.”
“More than a Mountain” features interviews with Bill Hernon, director of snowsports at Mt. Ashland Ski Area, who is a lifelong skier, and his son, Lyric Sylvan, a freestyle instructor. Wheeler said the film “explores how passion is passed down through generations. Hernon’s now-iconic line ‘That’s the stoke, when you’re good at something and you get to pass it on,'” became the inspiration for the film and accompanying events.
Wheeler said the “feel-good” documentary captures the unique spirit of Mt. Ashland — where passion for the outdoors, community, and family all intertwine. As Bill and Lyric reflect on their journeys, they reveal how their adventurous spirits and deep love for the sport have carried the “stoke” forward, inspiring generations of skiers and riders to come – and reminding us of the importance of enthusiasm for life itself.”
Along with the film, live music and other activities will be offered both nights. Featured Friday night will be the Danielle Kelly Soul Project. Wheeler said the group, which creates soul, funk, and R&B, “will bring the house down with a high-energy set guaranteed to get everyone dancing.” Performing Saturday night will be Eight Dollar Mountain, Southern Oregon’s bluegrass quartet, which she said will “keep the energy high with their signature foot-stompin’ tunes.”
Complimentary wine from Weisinger Family Winery and beer tastings from Common Block Brewing Company will be offered, while food will be available to purchase from Nomad’s Kitchen. As an added incentive, the first 100 people at the showings will receive a free sample of “Stoke Roast” custom-roasted coffee.
Each ticket also includes a raffle entry for a massive community giveaway — with prizes provided by Travel Ashland, Mountain Provisions, POSH Organics, Mt. Hood Roasters, Sunday Afternoons, Luno, local artist J. Mike Kuhn, and more. Attendees will also have a chance to win Mt. Ashland Ski Area lift ticket vouchers for the upcoming 2025/2026 ski season.
An all-SOU production
Wheeler, the film’s producer, director, and editor, said “More than a Mountain” was created by an all–Southern Oregon University alumni team that includes Nathanael Lathrop, drone pilot and cinematographer; Megan Menne, cinematographer; and Abigail Coombs, second unit drone pilot.
The deets
For more information, visit the Wheelhouse Pictures webpage or follow Wheelhouse on Instagram. The documentary’s trailer can be viewed online on the production company’s website.
“The film,” Wheeler said, “dives into the heart of the Rogue Valley’s mountain community, celebrating the stories and people who make Mt. Ashland a local treasure.”
Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, Wheeler, 25, learned about Mount Ashland after moving to Southern Oregon in 2018 to attend Southern Oregon University, where she was on the soccer team and the dance and film teams. She describes the move as “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I found people who share my love for storytelling — people who became my creative family. Together, we built Wheelhouse Motion Pictures, and I couldn’t be prouder to share our first feature documentary with the community that made it all possible. Thanks for being here.”
Wheeler remembers her first trip to Mt. Ashland. While downhill skiing on her first run she had an accident and tore her elbow. Since then, she has been a snowboarder.
Destined to become a filmmaker
Wheeler’s involvement in filmmaking, which seems to be her destiny, began as a young girl.
“There’s a running joke in my family about being careful what you name your kids,” she explained. “My mother, Liesl, was named after the eldest daughter in ‘The Sound of Music’ and became a professional vocalist. My sister, Chloe, was named after a ballet (by Ravel) and became a ballerina. So when I was named Tabitha after the daughter in ‘Bewitched,’ maybe it was inevitable I’d end up in film and television,” Wheeler said with a laugh, adding, “When I was 5, I used to knock on neighbors’ doors and recruit kids for ‘plays’ in our living room. We built sets out of cardboard and wood scraps. Not much has changed since.”
Wheelhouse Motion Pictures, a Southern Oregon–based creative production company founded by Wheeler, specializes in film, media, and event experiences that “connect people through storytelling” with a goal to “turn audiences into communities” by pairing films with immersive live events that celebrate local culture and collaboration.
Email freelance writer Lee Juillerat at [email protected]
