Matthew R. Chase of Buena Park in Porchlight Music Theatre’s RENT

Matthew R. Chase of Buena Park as the Sound Designer in Porchlight Music Theatre’s RENT. Now extended through Sunday, Dec. 11, at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn. Over the last 25 years, RENT, a Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, has become a cultural phenomenon with millions of fans around the world. Porchlight’s production celebrates this legacy and adds a new page to the story of a year in the life of a diverse group of artists struggling to survive and create in Lower Manhattan’s East Village under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. In the thriving days of bohemian Alphabet City at the end of the millennium, these friends are determined to follow their dreams without selling out.

RENT, music, lyrics and book by Jonathan Larson is directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo, music directed by Michael McBride and choreographed by Laura Savage. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. with weekday matinees] Thursday, Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 25 at 3:30 p.m. and Thursday, Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. There is a Post-Show Discussion scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. and Open Caption performances Saturday, Nov. 19 and Saturday, Nov. 26 at 3:30 p.m.

Matthew R. Chase is a Chicago-based theatrical sound designer and production manager. Recent credits include: Sound Design of Nunsense, Spring Awakening, Passing Strange and Clear (Porchlight Music Theatre); Who’s Holiday (Theater Wit); Anyone Can Whistle, Cooking With Bubbie & Veronica’s Room (Skokie Theatre); Gigi’s Party (Yellow Rose Theatre); Urinetown and Xanadu (Columbia College Chicago); 9 To 5 and Mamma Mia! (Golden Ticket Productions). Assistant Sound Designer for Sophisticated Ladies, Sunset Boulevard, A Chorus Line and A Gentleman’s Guide To Love & Murder (Porchlight Musical Theatre); Hedwig and The Angry Inch (Theo Ubique); The Ballad Of Lefty & Crabbe (Underscore Theatre Company). Matthew Is the resident production manager at Theater Wit for Mr. Burns A Post-Electric Play!, Who’s Holiday and Hurricane Diane.

Subscriptions to Porchlight’s 28th season are now on sale and may be purchased through the Box Office by calling 773.777.9884 or by visiting PorchlightMusicTheatre.org. Single tickets for RENT start at $25 and are now on sale.