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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.
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Episodes

Earning Peanuts - feat. Pablo Castelblanco & Meredith Holzman

Pablo Castelblanco (Alaska Daily, Ganymede) and Meredith Holzman (Alaska Daily, Inventing Anna) headline a story with Burmese and Indian roots about a humble peddler, a magic squirrel, and a golden opportunity. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

May 23, 202322 minSeason 6Ep. 47

The Fairy Fort - feat. Taylor Richardson & Alison Wright

Taylor Richardson (The Gilded Age) and Alison Wright (The Americans, Snowpiercer) co-star in this Irish tale about mischievous fairies and the power of music. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

May 16, 202322 minSeason 6Ep. 46

The First Customer - feat. Stephanie Panisello

Stephanie Panisello (What If...?, Ba Da Bean) stars in a Filipino tale about the sweet role kindness can play in achieving your dreams. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

May 09, 202325 minSeason 6Ep. 45

Catch You Later - feat. Nazneen Contractor

Nazneen Contractor (Holidazed, Star Wars Resistance) plays a cunning barber whose wits are as sharp as her scissors in this clever Bengali tale. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

May 02, 202323 minSeason 6Ep. 44

Amos and the Ogre - feat. Fortune Feimster & Tom Papa

Comedians Fortune Feimster (Good Fortune, FUBAR) and Tom Papa (What a Day!, You're Doing Great!) face off in a contest of brawn versus brains in this tale with roots across Europe, and Latin and North America. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Apr 25, 202326 minSeason 6Ep. 43

Blowing Hot and Cold - feat. Brittney Johnson

Broadway performer Brittney Johnson (Wicked) stars in an Estonian story about being able to control the weather -- and the responsibility such power brings. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Apr 18, 202326 minSeason 6Ep. 42

Encore: 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. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Apr 11, 202321 minSeason 6Ep. 41

A Devil of a Job - feat. Mel Rodriguez

Mel Rodriguez (The Afterparty, CSI: Vegas) stars in this Ecuadorian tale about a talented architect who has a devil of a time meeting a seemingly impossible deadline. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Apr 04, 202329 minSeason 6Ep. 40

The Sweet Spot - feat. Tantoo Cardinal & Jonathan Joss

Tantoo Cardinal (Killers of the Flower Moon, Three Pines) and Jonathan Joss (King of the Hill, Tulsa King) star in this Wabanaki tale about how people first learned to tap maple trees. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Mar 28, 202321 minSeason 6Ep. 39

The Dust-Up - feat. Jackie Chung & Louis Ozawa

Jackie Chung (The Summer I Turned Pretty, Coming Home Again) and Louis Ozawa (Hunters, Pachinko) star in this rollicking tale from Africa about how the zebra got its stripes and the baboon got its bare bottom. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Mar 21, 202325 minSeason 6Ep. 38

The Fast Feast - feat. Jon Jon Briones and Kathleen Chalfant

We celebrate our 200th episode with two Circle Round alums -- Jon Jon Briones (Ratched, Class of ‘09) and Kathleen Chalfant (The Affair, House of Cards) -- starring in a Jewish tale about how revenge is a dish best served cold. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Mar 14, 202331 minSeason 6Ep. 37

Written in the Stars - feat. Tallie Medel

Tallie Medel (Everything Everywhere All At Once, Cocoon Central Dance Team) headlines this Moroccan Jewish tale about how pursuing your passion can be music to everyone’s ears. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Mar 07, 202329 minSeason 6Ep. 36

The Unselfish Shellfish - feat. Eric Bauza & Harry Shum Jr.

Eric Bauza (Bugs Bunny Builders, Woody Woodpecker) and Harry Shum Jr. (Everything Everywhere All At Once, Crazy Rich Asians) star in an Indonesian story about a bad egg who winds up in a real pickle when he tries having his cake and eating it too. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Feb 28, 202324 minSeason 6Ep. 35

Encore: Growing Courage ft. Kyla Pratt

Kyla Pratt (Call Me Kat, The Proud Family) headlines this Ethiopian story about the power of facing your fears. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Feb 21, 202324 minSeason 6Ep. 34

The Eagle’s Return - feat. Diana Lee Inosanto & Myrna Velasco

Diana Lee Inosanto (The Mandalorian, The Curious Mind of Sebastian) and Myrna Velasco (Elena of Avalor, Trick-or-Treat Scooby-Doo!) star in this Venezuelan story about loyalty, courage, and the supernatural power of friendship. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Feb 14, 202323 minSeason 6Ep. 33

Donkey Business - feat. Jennifer Hale & Connor Ratliff

Jennifer Hale (Stars Wars: The Clone Wars, Mass Effect) and Connor Ratliff (Dead Eyes, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) star in this tricky tale about donkeys, ducats, and being a good neighbor. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Feb 07, 202324 minSeason 6Ep. 32

The Kernel of Truth - feat. Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jen Cohn & America Young

Trinity Jo-Li Bliss (Avatar: The Way of Water, The Garcias), Jen Cohn (Welcome to Chippendales, Star Wars: The Old Republic) and America Young (Barbie, Gotham Knights) star in a classic folktale about the unexpected upside of imperfection. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jan 31, 202331 minSeason 6Ep. 31

The Missing Mountainside - feat. Karen Huie

In this Taiwanese tale starring Karen Huie (Welcome to Flatch, Abominable and the Invisible City), a town learns the bad taste it can leave when you bite off more than you can chew! Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jan 24, 202320 minSeason 6Ep. 30

The Wrong Day feat. Liza Lapira & Telly Leung

Liza Lapira (The Equalizer, Must Love Christmas) and Telly Leung (Allegiance, Warrior) star in this folktale from Japan about good days, bad days, and the gift that keeps on giving. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jan 17, 202322 minSeason 6Ep. 29

Hungry Hippo feat. Scott Lawrence

Scott Lawrence (Star Wars Resistance, Vader Immortal) stars in this African legend about how the hippopotamus came to be the decidedly distinctive creature it is today. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jan 10, 202322 minSeason 6Ep. 28

Encore: The Great Acorn Robbery

Katy Mixon (American Housewife, Minions) and Diedrich Bader (American Housewife, Veep) headline this Seneca tale about an industrious squirrel and the sneaky critters who pilfer her prized acorns. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Jan 03, 202321 minSeason 6Ep. 27

Encore: The Three-Legged Pot

Comedian Aparna Nancherla (The Standups, Corporate) stars as a rambunctious cooking vessel in this Danish and Middle Eastern story about generosity and greed. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Dec 27, 202222 minSeason 6Ep. 26

The Parakeet’s Promise feat. Lorna Courtney & Shoba Narayan

Broadway stars Lorna Courtney (& Juliet) and Shoba Narayan (Aladdin) face off in this Indian legend about a tiny bird who opens up a farmer’s eyes in a big way. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Dec 20, 202219 minSeason 6Ep. 25

Strong Mind and Kind Heart feat. Christopher Sean

Christopher Sean (Star Wars Resistance, Gotham Knights) stars in this Vietnamese tale about two friends, one dream, and the infinite value of a true heart. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Dec 13, 202227 minSeason 6Ep. 24

The Looking Glass feat. Steve Coulter, Mark Gagliardi & Linedy Genao

Steve Coulter (Shotgun Wedding, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), Linedy Genao (Bad Cinderella), and Mark Gagliardi (Blood and Treasure, Drunk History) star in this Spanish and Portuguese story about how true beauty is only skin deep. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Dec 06, 202226 minSeason 6Ep. 23

Encore: Nilsa and the Troll

In this favorite tale from the archives, Raegan Revord (Young Sheldon) plays a generous young woman who proves that small gestures of kindness can make a big difference. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 29, 202221 minSeason 6Ep. 22

The Scholar’s Reward feat. Summer Bishil & Michael Maliakel

This Indian tale starring Summer Bishil (The Magicians, Four Samosas) and Michael Maliakel (Aladdin on Broadway) tells how the first chess game came to be, while teaching a powerful lesson about the ripple effects of our actions. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 22, 202224 minSeason 6Ep. 21

Like Oil and Water feat. Michelle Ang

In this courtroom tale with roots in Chinese lore, Michelle Ang (The Bad Batch, Riddle Me This) plays a wise judge who proves that dishonesty and justice just don't mix. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 15, 202219 minSeason 6Ep. 20

The Most Fabulous Fur Of All feat. Q’orianka Kilcher

In this Cherokee story, Q'orianka Kilcher (Yellowstone, Dora and the Lost City of Gold) plays a clever rabbit who craftily tries pulling the wool — and fur — over everyone’s eyes. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 08, 202224 minSeason 6Ep. 19

The Wheat and the Chaff feat. Christopher Rivas

In this tale with Finnish roots, Christopher Rivas (Call Me Kat, Brown Enough) plays a sly fox who tricks a pair of bullies into reaping what they sow. Sign up for our monthly newsletter, "The Lion's Roar", here .

Nov 01, 202226 minSeason 6Ep. 18
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