Appoggiatura - written by James Still, directed by Risa Brainin - WORLD PREMIERE - Denver Center Theatre Company.  January-February 2015

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COLORADO THEATRE GUILD HENRY AWARDS for 2014-2015
Nominated for BEST ORIGINAL PRODUCTION

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Stage Manager - Rachel Ducat
Dramaturg - Doug Langworthy
Scenic Design - David M. Barber
Costume Design - Meghan Doyle
Lighting Design - Charles R. MacLeod
Projection Design - Charlie I. Miller 
Sound Design - Tyler Nelson
Composer / Music Director - Michael Keck
Choreography & Movement - Robert Davidson
Dialect & Vocal Coaching - Kathy Maes
Assoc. Artistic Dir / Artistic Supervisor - Bruce Sevy

Darrie Lawrence - Helen
Lenne Klingaman - Sylvie
Rob Nagle - Aunt Chuck
Nick Mills - Marco/Young Gordon
Mehry Eslaminia - Kate/Ensemble
Paul Bentzen - Old Man/Trio/Gordon
Julian Remulla - Vivaldi

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VIDEOS
Appoggiatura teaser
Subscriber - Thank You / Happy Valentines Day
Denver Hosts World Premiere Of ‘Appoggiatura’  
'Appoggiatura' A Story Of Sadness That Comes With Laughter 
Meet the Cast: Mehry Eslamainia 
Meet the Cast: Rob Nagle
Meet the Cast: Lenne Klingaman
Meet the Cast: Darrie Lawrence
Meet the Cast: Nick Mills
Page to Stage: 'Page to Stage' highlights with 'Appoggiatura' cast 
Talking Appoggiatura with James Still and Risa Brainin
Summit Soliloquies, Day 1: James Still, "Appoggiatura"

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FEATURES
Show Program 
Colorado New Play Summit - American Theatre 
"Denver Hosts World Premiere Of ‘Appoggiatura’" - CBS4 
"Grace notes in Venice by way of the plains" - Denver Post
"Appoggiatura's James Still is running to catch up to himself"  
"New play development is booming in Colorado" - Denver Post
REVIEWS
Denver Post
Neon Tommy
Colorado Now
Boulder Weekly
Daily Camera
The Advocate - UCD
Westword

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Darrie Lawrence

Lenne Klingaman

Nick Mills

Mehry Eslaminia

Paul Bentzen

Julian Remulla

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Paul Bentzen hard at work on his harp during the pre-show

Mehry Eslaminia and Julian Remulla in the lobby during the pre-show

The Trio! -- Paul Bentzen, Julian Remulla, and Mehry Eslaminia

Darrie Lawrence as Helen

Lenne Klingaman as Sylvie and Rob Nagle as Aunt Chuck

Lenne Klingaman as Sylvie, Darrie Lawrence as Helen, and Rob Nagle as Aunt Chuck

"I miss him..."

"Do you really think I look good on a chaise longue?"

"Some things don't fade away."

Darrie Lawrence as Helen, Rob Nagle as Aunt Chuck, Nick Mills as Marco, and Lenne Klingaman as Sylvie

"I am happiness to see you..."

The Trio! -- Mehry Eslaminia, Paul Bentzen and Julian Remulla

Nick Mills as Marco and Lenne Klingaman as Sylvie

"...but in the English you say, 'take your picture' and it sound like ehhhhhh -- TAKE! Like it take something FROM you. Si? A picture is something you GIVE someone so why in the English it not say, 'Hey, want to give me your picture?'"

Getting lost in Venice...

Lenne Klingaman as Sylvie and Nick Mills as Marco

"Piazza San Marco. / I know what it's called, Helen..."

Too many tour guides...

"...Then why did you come? Why not just stay home and -- / No, no, no! You invited ME, why did you invite me?"

At last... Piazza San Marco...

"Isn't it beautiful?"

Getting lost in Venice... again...

Rob Nagle and Mehry Eslaminia

Campo di Meraviglia...

Nick Mills as Young Gordon and Lenne Klingaman as Young Helen

"...look what I bought: a little music box -- it’s a gondola, see?"

"Say 'Cheese..."

"Say, 'For my wife on our anniversary...'"

INSIDE PALAZZO DELLA FORTUNA: MARCO focuses intently on the brownie camera which HELEN displays like a moon rock or the Hope Diamond. AUNT CHUCK wears an eye mask and nurses a hangover. MARCO walks around the camera, looking at it, mystified. OUTSIDE AT A CAFE TABLE: SYLVIE sits listening/watching her laptop while a PROJECTED IMAGE OF KATE appears onstage via live-feed. They are Skyping.

Lenne Klingaman as Sylvie

"e misterioso"

Lenne Klingaman as Sylvie and Paul Bentzen as the Old Man

Darrie Lawrence as Helen

"You are stoned-ed, Aunt Chuck."

Rob Nagle, Darrie Lawrence, and Nick Mills

"Zia Gettare -- I am not gay."

Vivaldi leads Helen into the Campo di Meraviglia...

"“Four days will quickly steep themselves in night. Four nights will quickly dream away the time.”

"...and even if we find the Ponte Storto -- how will we know it’s the right one? Seven bridges all with the same name."

AUNT CHUCK and MARCO in a gondola with a GONDOLIER. In the Campo: HELEN and YOUNG HELEN.

"“Venice is a garden that's in the middle of the sea... the aroma of theatre hangs on the dark canals... I am plagued by happiness.”

Nick Mills as Marco and Rob Nagle as Aunt Chuck

"O Sole Mio..."

"When a Venetian woman places a beauty mark by the corner of her mouth it means she is ready for anything."

Rob Nagle as Aunt Chuck and Paul Bentzen as Old Gordon

"I once climbed the mountain up your arm and landed on your lips and tasted -- love."

Rob Nagle as Aunt Chuck

Darrie Lawrence as Helen and Lenne Klingaman as Young Helen

"Oh I’m hoping to avoid the police -- just in case it’s a felony to transport ashes to a foreign country."

Nick Mills as Young Gordon and Lenne Klingaman as Young Helen

Aunt Chuck meets Young Gordon in the Campo di Meraviglia...

GORDON grabs their many bags. YOUNG HELEN suddenly throws her arms around HELEN. No words, no lingering...

Then the newlyweds are gone.

"Ciao, luggages. I am happiness to see you."

"Ran out of time. I ran out of time.”

HELEN and AUNT CHUCK stand side-by-side, listening to VIVALDI and the STREET MUSICIANS who have begun to play. HELEN and AUNT CHUCK: they are leaning on one another.

All photos by Jennifer Koskinen / Merritt Design Photo