Basking in the ambiance of theater in Atlese’s point of view

In a time when people are calling for a cultural revolution, one St.Paul woman is using the stage as a voice to connect.

Atlese “LeLe” Robinson 

Theatre is an art with a rich history and ever-growing with such shows like “Hamilton” that sells out internationally. Seeing growth from the new talent, social media, and the advancement of mass media as a whole. There is a new generation of talent that is addressing the social issues within the art but also continuing to evolve the experience. Atlese has her goals set on making an impact using the stage.

Atlese “LeLe” Robinson is a passionate writer and multi-disciplinary theatre artist who represent something bigger than herself. She’s the founding co-artistic director of Ambiance Theatre Company, a collective of voices dedicated to nurturing unchained imaginations and a haven for creative minds left on the margins of the theatre world.

Getting to know Atlese

From Saint Paul, Minnesota a city that is known for being the state’s capital but also where an African American community known as Rondo was destroyed to build the state’s freeway. Mixed with the heart of Chicago, IL, Atlese was raised in a unique household that had a positive effect on her upbringing. A home that nurtured her love of storytelling.
Possessing an attuned ear to language and speech Atlese creates characters that leap from the page into the collective imagination of her audience. Her background as a writer gives her directing style a collaborative and generative flair—centering the collective nature of theatre. Atlese’s mission with Ambiance Theatre Company is to support Black dramatic writers through education and script development, produce new works, and to make theatre accessible to Black audiences.

Hitting the Stage

September 21th is Ambiance Theatre Company's “Waiting In Vain“, which will be held at Augsburg University. Waiting in Vain is a story about four young and Black teens who rob a gas station and hide out in an abandoned store blocks away.  As they devise a plan to escape home unscathed, they are stricken with agonizing panic, detachment, and nightmares, as the media finds evidence pointing closer to their location – preventing them from returning back into their esteemed lives.