USU Senior Lele Bonizzi to Debut Innovative One-Act Play on Aug. 24

Utah State University has announced the one-night-only premiere of an innovative, student-created one-act play.

“What Stillness Tells Me” was created by USU senior Eleonora "Lele" Bonizzi, a standout student in the BFA photography program, in collaboration with USU Theatre Arts alumnus Levi Hopkins.

The play will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24, in USU’s Black Box Theatre of the Daryl Chase Fine Arts Center.

“What Stillness Tells Me” draws inspiration from Roland Barthes’ influential book “Camera Lucida” and explores the intricate connections between photography, theatre, and mortality. The USU Black Box Theatre will be transformed into a working darkroom, offering audiences an immersive experience that reflects Bonizzi’s unique artistic vision.

"Photography has often felt to me like an art form that operates on the periphery, capturing moments rather than being the central focus,” Bonnizi said. “This led me to wonder: why not make photography a performance itself?"

By merging the magic of the darkroom with the theatrical stage, Bonizzi and Hopkins invite audiences to witness the transformative process of photography in real-time.

In this compelling narrative, a young man arrives at a photography studio for a portrait session, but as the interaction unfolds, it becomes clear that something deeper is at play. The real-time creation of a historical wet-plate collodion tintype photograph serves as a metaphor for the development of the characters and meditation on memory and identity.

Bonizzi’s own journey through the Caine College of the Arts has been marked by a commitment to photography’s unique means of storytelling and social commentary. As a senior photography major at USU, Bonizzi has exhibited their work on national and international stages and earned significant accolades at USU, including a Ralph T. Clark photography scholarship and several USU SARG fellowships. Bonizzi is a 2024 USU Peak Fellow and recipient of the prestigious 2024 Robins Awards Talent of the Year award.

Levi Hopkins (BFA Theatre Arts ‘24), an accomplished actor, singer, and writer, joins Bonizzi in this production as both the actor and playwright. With professional credits that include five seasons with Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, the Lyric Repertory Company, and the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (The Jimmy Awards), Hopkins brings a wealth of experience to this collaboration.

“Working with Levi has been nothing short of incredible,” Bonizzi said. “It’s been fascinating to see how two artists from different mediums can push each other out of their comfort zones, learning and growing in the process. This experience has given me a new appreciation for interdisciplinary work, which is increasingly encouraged in contemporary art.”

“Throughout the USU Photography curriculum students are guided in developing socially engaged visual research which combines theory and praxis, historical and contemporary processes, and interdisciplinary relationships,” said Jared Ragland, assistant professor and area coordinator of photography. “Lele has done just that in ‘What Stillness Tells Me,’ merging 19th-century photographic processes and performance art with post-modern theory and relevant social commentary in an innovative, thoughtful, and collaborative way.”

The play has received significant support from the USU Caine College of the Arts through a Summer Arts Research Grant, as well as backing from the USU Department of Art + Design. This support underscores the university’s dedication to fostering artistic excellence and innovation, empowering students like Bonizzi to bring their creative visions to life.

Seating for “What Stillness Tells Me” is limited to 90 attendees, emphasizing the intimate and impactful nature of the performance. General admission tickets are available for $15 through online purchase or the CCA Box Office. Due to its mature themes and strong language, the play is recommended for audiences aged 13 and older.