El Playpen Podcast — Connecting Theatre for Young Audiences Makers Across Mexico and the UK
El Playpen is a new bilingual podcast that brings together contemporary Theatre for Young Audiences makers from Mexico and the United Kingdom to share their stories, challenges, and creative insights.
Hosted by Sofía Sanz — Artistic Director of PEN Projects, 2024–2025 Chevening Scholar, and MA Advanced Theatre Practice graduate from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama — and produced by Emma Aprile, MA Creative Producing graduate from Central, El Playpen opens a space for meaningful dialogue and cultural exchange between two vibrant theatre communities.
Through candid conversations with artists, producers, and cultural leaders, the podcast explores how theatre for children and young people is imagined, produced, and experienced on different sides of the Atlantic. Each episode highlights unique perspectives on creativity, access, and representation in TYA, while reflecting on how shared knowledge can lead to richer, more inclusive practices worldwide.
Season 1 features leading voices from both countries, including Anelvi Rivera (INBAL, Mexico), Kate Cross (The Egg Theatre, UK), Adrían Hernández and José Agüero (Teatro al Vacío, Mexico), Daphna Attias (Peut-Être Theatre, UK), Amaranta Leyva (La Teatrería, México), and Tim Crouch (UK). Together, they reflect on the power of imagination, collaboration, and theatre’s role in shaping a more empathetic and creative present for children everywhere. All episodes are available in English and Spanish.
Supported by the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama’s Enterprise Award, El Playpen is both a platform for dialogue and a first step towards a long-term Mexico–UK cultural collaboration in Theatre for Young Audiences.
Listen on Spotify: EL PLAYPEN
Learn more: @penproyectos
Reach out: sofiasanzproyectos@gmail.com
