Cris Matochi (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Storm the box office!
International heartthrob (and former Coupeville Middle School volleyball coach) Cris Matochi will headline the Whidbey Playhouse production of the Tony-winning rock musical “Rent.”
For those living under a rock, the production, with music, lyrics, and books by Jonathan Larson, is based off the opera La bohème, and follows a group of starving artists living in Lower Manhattan’s East Village as the onslaught of AIDS envelops the city.
Matochi is slated to play Roger Davis, a HIV positive musician and recovering drug addict struggling to write “one successful, meaningful song before he dies.”
Which means he gets to deliver arguably the most affecting solo of the night, “One Song Glory.”
Rent, which debuted the night after Larson’s sudden death by aortic dissection, became a sensation, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and running on Broadway for 12 years.
Matochi, a native of Brazil, is an Environmental Health Specialist for the Island County Health Department.
A top-level volleyball player from a young age, he transitioned into coaching, and has worked with professional teams, elite travel academies, and college programs.
During his time working with Coupeville’s young spikers, Matochi showed a deft touch, getting the best out of mostly inexperienced players, while lighting up the gym with his natural charisma.
And those tickets we mentioned earlier?
Rent is set to help kick off 2026 — Whidbey Playhouse’s 60th anniversary — running Jan. 30-Feb. 22, with 12 total performances.
Friday and Saturday shows are 7:30 PM, with Sunday matinees at 2:30.
On Saturday, Feb. 7, they’re pulling double duty, with both a matinee and an evening performance.
To snag your ticket, call the box office at (360) 679-2237 or pop over to:
https://whidbeyplayhouse.ludus.com/index.php?show_id=200493940
Coupeville Sports 