The Giant’s Causeway feat. Alison Wright
Alison Wright (Snowpiercer, The Americans) stars as a wise and witty Irish giant who proves she's colossal in both size and smarts.
Apr 13, 2021•21 min•Season 4Ep. 42
Circle Round
Created and produced by parents of young children, WBUR's Circle Round adapts carefully-selected folktales from around the world into sound- and music-rich radio plays for kids ages 3-103. Each 15 to 25-minute episode explores important issues like kindness, persistence and generosity. And each episode ends with an activity that inspires a deeper conversation between children and grown-ups.
Episodes
The Fire Within feat. Maz Jobrani
Comedian and actor Maz Jobrani (Pandemic Warrior, Back To School With Maz Jobrani) plays a wise man with an on-fire imagination in this clever tale from Turkey, Balochistan, India, Ethiopia, Kenya, the West Indies, and the Hispano community of New Mexico.
Apr 06, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 41
The Governor’s Puzzle feat. Tiffany Espensen
Tiffany Espensen (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Kirby Buckets) stars in this Chinese folktale about thinking outside the box and inside the boat.
Mar 30, 2021•23 min•Season 4Ep. 40
Encore: The Queen's Gift
This favorite episode from our archives is in loving memory of an actor you've heard in numerous Circle Round stories, including this one: Delores King Williams.
Mar 23, 2021•18 min•Season 4Ep. 39
Mangoes in the Middle feat. Utkarsh Ambudkar
In this tale from India, Utkarsh Ambudkar (Brittany Runs a Marathon, We Are Freestyle Love Supreme) plays an ingenious royal advisor who cunningly proves the true owner of a fruitful treasure.
Mar 16, 2021•17 min•Season 4Ep. 38
Counting Crocodiles feat. Tiya Sircar
In this playful tale from Indonesia and Malaysia, Tiya Sircar (Star Wars Rebels, The Good Place) plays a cunning mouse deer who teaches a cantankerous crocodile a lesson.
Mar 09, 2021•19 min•Season 4Ep. 37
The Uncommon Offering feat. Ruthie Ann Miles
Tony Award Winner Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I, All Rise) stars in this Paraguayan story about giving the most rare and precious gift of all.
Mar 02, 2021•24 min•Season 4Ep. 36
The Red Leather Shoes feat. Madhur Jaffrey & Aasif Mandvi
Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show, Evil) and Madhur Jaffrey (Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Nation, I Feel Bad) co-star in this Indian story about a wise king, a generous shoemaker, and a priceless pair of shoes.
Feb 23, 2021•23 min•Season 4Ep. 35
The Wind Catcher feat. Lea Salonga
Tony Award winner Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Misérables) headlines this Marshallese tale about how the first sailboat came to be.
Feb 16, 2021•21 min•Season 4Ep. 34
Encore: One Speckled Hen
This week, we bring back a favorite story from the archives: Tony Award winner André De Shields (Hadestown, The Full Monty) stars in a Jewish tale that tests the old adage, "Finders keepers, losers weepers."
Feb 09, 2021•20 min•Season 4Ep. 33
All The King’s Dogs feat. Rory Culkin & Jeremy Sisto
Jeremy Sisto (Law and Order, FBI) and Rory Culkin (Waco, Halston) co-star in this Hungarian story about two farmers, one wise king, and a whole mess of canines.
Feb 02, 2021•21 min•Season 4Ep. 32
The Fishermen’s Leftovers feat. Marc delaCruz
In this magical tale from Japan, Marc delaCruz (If/Then, Hamilton) plays a lowly cook whose kitchen scraps bring him a golden reward.
Jan 26, 2021•20 min•Season 4Ep. 31
The Horse of a Different Color feat. Christina Anthony & Lindsay Mendez
Christina Anthony (Mixed-ish, Key & Peele) and Tony winner Lindsay Mendez (Carousel, All Rise) play a one-of-a-kind horse and rider in this enchanted tale from across the Spanish-speaking world.
Jan 19, 2021•24 min•Season 4Ep. 29
The Head and the Heart feat. Hrishikesh Hirway & Joshua Malina
Joshua Malina (The West Wing, Scandal) and Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder, The West Wing Weekly) co-star in this Jewish tale about two brothers who make two very different ways in the world.
Jan 12, 2021•27 min•Season 4Ep. 28
Three Little Critters feat. Mason Gooding & Allen Maldonado
Mason Gooding (Love, Victor; Scream 5) and Allen Maldonado (Sneakerheads, The Last O.G.) co-star in this East African story about the big power of a little teamwork.
Jan 05, 2021•25 min•Season 4Ep. 27
Encore: The Emperor's Challenge
As we ring in the new year, we bring back a favorite episode about planting the seeds of honesty, starring Nikki SooHoo (Star Wars Resistance, The Resident) and Christine Toy Johnson (Iron Fist, Come From Away).
Dec 29, 2020•24 min•Season 4Ep. 26
Encore: A Bird in the Hand
As we celebrate the winter holidays, we revisit a favorite episode from season two: Broadway legends Rebecca Luker and Danny Burstein play a talking bird and spoiled prince who explore the meaning of true wisdom.
Dec 22, 2020•17 min•Season 4Ep. 25
Ariana’s Music feat. Mireille Enos
Mireille Enos (Hanna, The Killing) headlines this new spin on an ancient Greek legend about an instrument that captivates everyone who hears it, whether they have skin, scales, hair, hides, feathers, or fur.
Dec 15, 2020•20 min•Season 4Ep. 24
The Three Tests feat. Kiera Allen
Kiera Allen (Run) plays a wise woman whose cleverness is tested by her father long after he's gone in this story from Armenia, Greece, Russia, Germany and Hungary.
Dec 08, 2020•21 min•Season 4Ep. 23
The Twin Monkeys feat. Julia Nickson & Lizzy Capri
Julia Nickson (Rambo: First Blood Part II, The Unbidden) and YouTuber Lizzy Capri headline this Tibetan and Burmese tale about finding treasure, playing tricks, and monkeying around.
Dec 01, 2020•23 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Simple Gifts: Circle Round's Season-of-Giving Special
To celebrate the season of giving, we bring you a special mega-episode revisiting four of your favorite Circle Round stories about generosity.
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 21
The Basilisk’s Stare feat. Nabiyah Be & Evan Whitten
In this tale inspired by a Polish legend, Nabiyah Be (Black Panther, Daisy Jones & The Six) and Evan Whitten (The Resident, Mr. Robot) face off against a fantastical creature whose gaze turns people to stone.
Nov 17, 2020•18 min•Season 4Ep. 20
The Fantastic Fiddle feat. Adam Irigoyen
This Hispanic tale from the Southwest U.S. stars Adam Irigoyen (Away, Shake It Up) as a fiddler whose magical instrument brings the world to its feet, and the guilty to their knees.
Nov 10, 2020•23 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Little Frog’s Big Voice feat. Alex Brightman & Dyllón Burnside
Dyllón Burnside (POSE, Prideland) and Tony nominee Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice, School of Rock - The Musical) co-star in this Australian story about small critters, giant egos, and why frogs croak.
Nov 03, 2020•19 min•Season 4Ep. 18
The Extraordinary Pine Cone feat. Kelly Jenrette & John Carroll Lynch
Kelly Jenrette (The Handmaid's Tale, Uncorked) and John Carroll Lynch (American Horror Story, The Founder) headline this Estonian/Finnish story about how very far a little generosity can go.
Oct 27, 2020•21 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Coyote’s Flame feat. Brittany O’Grady
In this Native American tale, Brittany O'Grady (Little Voice, Star) plays a cunning creature who uses teamwork to bring light, sun and fire to the dark, cold world.
Oct 20, 2020•18 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Encore: Grandfather Stone feat. Diane Rehm and Jonathan Joss
In honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day, we're revisiting this Seneca tale from Season 2 about the origin of stories -- co-starring NPR veteran Diane Rehm and Jonathan Joss (Parks and Recreation, Comanche Moon).
Oct 13, 2020•20 min•Season 4Ep. 15
The Glittering Gourd feat. Glenn Fleshler & Corey Stoll
Corey Stoll (Billions, West Side Story) and Glenn Fleshler (Billions, Joker) bring to life this Brazilian story about the sweetness of humility and the sting of greed.
Oct 06, 2020•19 min•Season 4Ep. 14
The Olive Jar feat. Maggie Siff, Santino Fontana & Denim Richards
Maggie Siff (Billions, Mad Men), Santino Fontana (Tootsie, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), and Denim Richards (Yellowstone, The Chickasaw Rancher) co-star in this Northern African/Middle Eastern/Jewish tale about spoiled olives and fresh starts.
Sep 29, 2020•24 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Long Hair and the Waterfall feat. Rosalind Chao
Rosalind Chao (Mulan, The Joy Luck Club) headlines this Chinese tale about a tall mountain, a big radish, and the magic of giving back to your community.
Sep 22, 2020•22 min•Season 4Ep. 12
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