He Almost Lost It… Then Booked the Role of His Life | Tonatiuh's Breakthrough Story

The Art of Being Seen | Photographer Jackson Davis on Creativity & Authenticity

Mis amores… this is an EXTRA special episode because it is the very first PLAYDATE we ever shot. 🥹✨ There was never a question in my mind about who I wanted to kick this whole adventure off with: my favorite photographer in the world, Jackson Davis.Jackson is not only the photographer behind PLAYDATE… he is one of the artists who changed the way I see myself forever. Years ago, I did my first shoot with him while creating materials for a TV project, and I can confidently say my relationship to myself radically shifted afterward. He captured parts of me I wasn’t even aware existed yet. Plus… it does not hurt that he is the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on??? This episode is packed with incredible conversations about creativity, acting, photography, authenticity, and what it really takes to build a life as an artist. We talk about Jackson’s journey from a little boy dreaming of becoming a stand-up comedian, doing impressions for his classmates after his sixth grade teacher literally gave him a comedy slot at the end of class 😭… to joining the Navy right before 9/11… to eventually finding his way back to acting, photography, and creative freedom. Inside this PLAYDATE: ⚡ Jackson’s childhood dream of becoming a comedian and the teacher who gave him five minutes to perform for the class every week ⚡ his intense experience serving in the Navy during 9/11 ⚡ the surprising path that led him from military life to Hollywood ⚡ the BEST acting advice we’ve ever discussed in the fort ⚡ Meisner repetition, vulnerability, and learning how to truly listen ⚡ why authenticity is the secret weapon for actors and artists ⚡ how to prep for a headshot or photoshoot like a pro ⚡ audition rituals, creative flow, and calming nerves before high-pressure moments ⚡ why “thinking is the death of creativity” ⚡ what photographers are actually looking for in a session ⚡ why waiting for permission is destroying artists ⚡ plus games, puppets, cringe stories, LEGO architecture, emotional chaos, and… an alarming amount of pee stories 💀 Grab a craft and come play with two artists talking about creativity, fear, dreams, beauty, and what it means to become more fully yourself.“Radical self acceptance and authenticity is the way forward as any kind of artist. ”Welcome to the fort, bebe. 🏕️💛 ✨ About PlaydatePlaydate is a filmed podcast and creative playground hosted by Lorena Martinez; actor, creator, and TEDx speaker.Inside this fort for grown adults, we love hard, play, create, laugh, and have honest conversations about creativity, courage, and building a life you’re obsessed with. 🔗 Follow & ConnectHost — Lorena Martinez Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biencreativelorena/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@playdatewithlorena Website: https://www.playdatetheshow.com Acting/Speaking/Coaching: https://www.biencreative.com Guest — Jackson Davis Instagram: @jacksondavisphotoWebsite: www.jacksondavisphotography.com 💌 Media, Partnerships & SponsorshipsFor media inquiries, brand partnerships, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact:📩 pr@biencreative.com ⭐️ If You Loved This EpisodePlease subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/playdate-the-show/id1878479697, and share this episode with someone who needs a little bit more play in their life.

The Hidden Link Between Creativity, Spirituality & Mental Health | Director + Writer Andrew Russell

What if creativity, mental health, and spirituality are all the same electric current? ⚡Writer & director Andrew Russell breaks down bipolarity, theater, and the energy of being human.Welcome to the Fort, mi amor! 🧡This week on PLAYDATE, we dive deep into the wildly brilliant, hilarious, and soul-stretching mind of writer and director Andrew Russell… and baby, this one is a JOURNEY.From growing up in rural Indiana to becoming an award-winning playwright and director, Andrew’s story is a tapestry of theater, identity, imagination, and radical honesty. We talk about the kind of creativity that saves your life… and the kind that demands you tell the truth.✨ Inside this episode:- His iconic obsession with Whoopi Goldberg (yes, he created an entire Whoopi Goldberg Day in high school 😭)- The magic of divas as lifelines for queer kids growing up in small towns- His award-winning play My Maria and why it’s “a secretly gay play about straight people”- His gripping upcoming novel Norm Red (think: Tennessee Williams meets Drop Dead Gorgeous)- A chilling and fascinating reflection on fear of groups of men and toxic masculinity culture- Growing up in 4H, county fairs, and country music dreams- His creative process: how ideas arrive, how stories choose their form, and how to follow them- A raw, powerful conversation about living on the bipolar spectrum and navigating mania, depression, and creative energy- Why creativity, spirituality, and mental health might all be part of the same electric current ⚡- Theater as a sacred space for human connection in a world racing toward AIAnd of course… this is Playdate: 🎨 We craft 🎭 We puppet 🎲 We play 🔥 We get a little chaotic (hello Cauldron Chaos + Bubbles + Ridiculous Accents) 💌 And we close with a heart-cracking Grimoire momentThis episode is funny, deep, vulnerable, and wildly inspiring. It’s about embracing your inner world, telling the truth, and daring to be seen… even when it’s messy.Press play, get cozy, and come play with us 💫✨ About PlaydatePlaydate is a filmed podcast and creative playground hosted by Lorena Martinez; actor, creator, and TEDx speaker.Inside this fort for grown adults, we love hard, play, create, laugh, and have honest conversations about creativity, courage, and building a life you’re obsessed with.

The Secret to Unleashing Your Voice, Power & Magic | Amy Chapman

Mis amores!This week inside the fort, I get to play with the one and only Amy Chapman… aka THE Voice Witch. ✨🎤🧙‍♀️A licensed vocal therapist, healer, and absolute wizard of sound, Amy works with some of the most iconic voices in the world: Idina Menzel, Shakira, Sia, Dick Van Dyke, Brian Littrell, James Van Der Beek, and so many more.And this episode? It is pure vocal witchcraft!We go all the way back to little princess-dress Amy singing Disney songs in the backyard, dreaming of Broadway… to the heartbreak of rejection that led her to become one of the most powerful voice healers in Hollywood.Inside this PLAYDATE:✨ The truth about finding your REAL voice🎤 Voice witchcraft exercises that instantly change your sound (and blow your mind)🧠 A powerful exercise for Parkinson’s, aging voice, weak voice, and vocal strength💥 How to unlock your belt, your high notes, and release tongue tension🎭 Stories from working with icons like Idina Menzel, Shakira, Sia, Dick Van Dyke, and Backstreet Boys’ Brian Littrell (I’M DEAD BTW)😭 A deeply heart-wrenching story about the late James Van Der Beek that I will never forget🎶 Why singing is healing, prayer, and one of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves👑 Why women need to brag more, take up space, and love themselves out loud! 🧜‍♀️ A full voice-over lesson as we create and discover the voices of two new magical members of the fort: Amy the Mermaid and Paloma (pero you can call her Jam 👀)🎭 Puppet voice play, character building, and the kind of ridiculous joyful chaos that could only happen inside the fortThis one is funny, emotional, magical, and honestly… life-changing.If you have ever felt like your voice was too much, too small, too broken, too scared, or too hidden… this episode is for you.Welcome to the fort, mi amor.Come sing. Come brag. Come play!AMY'S DARE:🎤 Sing + Brag! Sing out loud to someone or a group of people without caring what you sound like! And Brag about it. Please share it with us! ✨ About PlaydatePlaydate is a filmed podcast and creative playground hosted by Lorena Martinez; actor, creator, and TEDx speaker.Inside this fort for grown adults, we love hard, play, create, laugh, and have honest conversations about creativity, courage, and building a life you’re obsessed with.🔗 Follow & ConnectHost — Lorena MartinezInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/biencreativelorena/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@playdatewithlorenaWebsite: https://www.playdatetheshow.comActing/Speaking/Coaching: https://www.biencreative.comGuest — Amy ChapmanInstagram: @amychapmanWebsite: www.voicelabla.com💌 Media, Partnerships & SponsorshipsFor media inquiries, brand partnerships, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact:📩 pr@biencreative.com⭐️ If You Loved This EpisodePlease subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/playdate-the-show/id1878479697, and share this episode with someone who needs a little bit more play in their life. CHAPTERS:0:00 Welcome to Playdate!5:30 Love Bomb!9:25 Little Amy + Broadway Dreams13:00 Becoming a Voice Healer17:07 Speed + Meeting Andrew Lloyd Webber22:44 Heads Up! + The Importance of Bragging 29:30 Dare Time! 32:35 VOICE WITCHCRAFT38:50 Parkinson's and The Voice43:20 Jingle + Puppet Voices! 48:58 Craft Time and ICONIC Stories Of Legends She's Worked With. 1:00:11 Why Singing Heals You1:12:14 The Song That Makes Amy Cry1:17:00 The Grimoire Closing Ritual

The Secret to Booking Hollywood’s Greatest Roles | Kapil Talwalkar on Play, Career & Resilience

Mis amores! ARE YOU READY?!This week inside the fort, I get to play with the wildly talented, deeply lovable, and effortlessly cool Kapil Talwalkar… currently starring on Peacock’s “The Burbs” with an iconic cast led by Keke Palmer. Y mi amor, you are going to fall deeply in love with Kapil. From the moment he discovered comedy as a little kid making a room full of strangers laugh… to navigating the emotional rollercoaster of Hollywood (being written off a show, battling anxiety, and rising again to book incredible roles)… Kapil brings honesty, humor, and so much HEART to this conversation.And this episode is extra special because for our craft this week? WE ARE WRITING THE OFFICIAL PLAYDATE JINGLE TOGETHER! In real time! We will also: 🎭 Play ridiculous, chaotic games (the Oreo challenge = spiritual awakening??) 😂 Talk about the wild ups and downs of an acting career 🎬 Geek out over working with icons like Sandra Oh, Peter Dinklage, Lupita Nyong’o, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson 🧠 Dive into inner child energy, creativity, and why play is actually the portal 🧸 Do a puppet theater from The Burbs (which just got picked up for a second season!) 💥 And create the kind of magic that only happens when two friends PLAYKapil also gives us a peek into his hilarious new show The Burbs, shares what he’s learned from working with some of the best in the industry, and reminds us that:✨ The cream always rises ✨ your job is to love the work ✨ and the kid inside you is still the geniusThis episode is joy, truth, music, chaos, craft, and a little bit of glittery healing all in one.So grab a snack, get cozy… and come play with us! 💫And stayed tuned for the premiere of the Playdate Jingle “Bienvenidos al Fort” at the end of this episode!WELCOME TO THE FORT.New episodes every Thursday 🌳Subscribe, like, and share this with someone who needs a reminder to bring the silly back.🔮 YOUR DARE (from Kapil)Do one thing today that scares you.It can be small…Ask for something you normally wouldn’t.Say the thing you’ve been holding back.Or go big… 👀Ask them out.Go after the opportunity!YOU’VE GOT THIS! It’s really cool to witness your courage bebe, and this is the only way.Te amo.✨ About PlaydatePlaydate is a filmed podcast and creative playground hosted by Lorena Martinez; actor, creator, and TEDx speaker.Inside this fort for grown adults, we love hard, play, create, laugh, and have honest conversations about creativity, courage, and building a life you’re obsessed with.✨ Sobre PlaydatePlaydate es un podcast filmado y un mundo mágico creativo, conducido por Lorena Martinez: actriz, creadora y conferencista TEDx.Dentro de este fuerte para adultos, amamos con intensidad, jugamos, creamos, reímos y tenemos conversaciones honestas sobre creatividad, valentía y cómo construir una vida que te obsesione.🔗 Follow & ConnectHost — Lorena MartinezInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/biencreativelorena/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@playdatewithlorenaWebsite: https://www.playdatetheshow.comActing/Speaking/Coaching: https://www.biencreative.comGuest — Kapil TalwalkarInstagram: @ktalwalk💌 Media, Partnerships & SponsorshipsFor media inquiries, brand partnerships, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact:📩 pr@biencreative.com⭐️ If You Loved This EpisodePlease subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/playdate-the-show/id1878479697, and share this episode with someone who needs a little bit more play in their life.

He Almost Lost It… Then Booked the Role of His Life | Tonatiuh's Breakthrough Story

Welcome to the Fort, my love… are you ready for this one?! 🕯️✨This week on Playdate, I get to sit across from someone I love deeply… the brilliant, hilarious, wildly talented Tonatiuh. And bebé… his story? It’s the kind that rewires your belief in what’s possible.Because this isn’t overnight success.This is:1,129 auditions.Yes… he counted.1,129 times of showing up.1,129 times of being told this is not your moment1,129 moments of choosing to keep going anyway.And then…✨ The iconic audition that felt like his 💔 The rejection that broke his heart 🕯️ The 2:30am surrender… “if it’s not mine, I let it go” 🌅 And the next morning… everything changed!He books Kiss of the Spider Woman alongside Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna… and suddenly, he’s not dreaming it anymore.He’s living it.But what makes this episode magic isn’t just the booking…It’s: 💫 What it actually takes to stay in the game that long💔 The emotional toll of almost making it… over and over again🧡 The unforgettable stories working with THE JLo and Diego Luna. “This is your Selena moment” 🔥 The moment you stop chasing… and become it👵 Watching his own family (90+ relatives!) see him on the big screen 🎭 And the truth that your dream isn’t random… it’s remembering who you areInside the Fort, we also of course…🎲 Play games (the most competitive Oreo challenge of all time) 🎭 Transform with accents, characters, and pure chaos 🎨 Make weird, beautiful little creatures 💌 And celebrate him with a Love Bomb that might make you cry tooBut underneath all the play…This episode is a love letter to persistence.To the artists…To the dreamers…To the ones who feel like it’s taking too long…Your path is not delayed mi amor! It’s being forged.And if you’ve ever wondered if it’s worth it to keep going…This is your sign.Welcome to the Fort. 🧡And if this applies to you, here is Tona’s dare for you:- I dare you to reach out to someone you’ve been avoiding…and tell them you love them. Tell them all is forgiven.✨ About PlaydatePlaydate is a filmed podcast and creative playground hosted by Lorena Martinez; actor, creator, and TEDx speaker.Inside this fort for grown adults, we love hard, play, create, laugh, and have honest conversations about creativity, courage, and building a life you’re obsessed with.✨ Sobre PlaydatePlaydate es un podcast filmado y un mundo mágico creativo, conducido por Lorena Martinez: actriz, creadora y conferencista TEDx.Dentro de este fuerte para adultos, amamos con intensidad, jugamos, creamos, reímos y tenemos conversaciones honestas sobre creatividad, valentía y cómo construir una vida que te obsesione.🔗 Follow & ConnectHost — Lorena MartinezInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/biencreativelorena/?hl=enTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@playdatewithlorenaWebsite: https://www.playdatetheshow.comActing/Speaking/Coaching: https://www.biencreative.comGuest — TonatiuhInstagram: @tonatiuh💌 Media, Partnerships & SponsorshipsFor media inquiries, brand partnerships, or sponsorship opportunities, please contact:📩 pr@biencreative.com⭐️ If You Loved This EpisodePlease subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/playdate-the-show/id1878479697 and share this episode with someone who needs a little bit more play in their life.