Circle Round - podcast cover

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 All-Wish Stick

Amy Tsang (Star Wars: The Acolyte, Kung Fu) stars in a Chinese tale about a magical gift that makes wishes come true, provided you make them with an honest heart. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Oct 29, 202428 minSeason 8Ep. 18

The Face-Off

Actor Kelly Jenrette (All American: Homecoming, The Handmaid’s Tale) and producer/actor Lamar Richardson (Appropriate, Merrily We Roll Along) co-star in a Shona legend that proves how big strength can come in little sizes. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Oct 22, 202420 minSeason 8Ep. 17

Top Banana

Tatyana Ali (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Abbot Elementary) and Jack De Sena (Lego Monkie Kid, Avatar: The Last Airbender) headline this Filipino story about getting the upper hand by taking the lower half. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Oct 15, 202425 minSeason 8Ep. 16

Pride and Proverbs

Real-life couple David Giuntoli (Grimm, Batman: Soul of the Dragon) and Elizabeth Tulloch (Grimm, Superman and Lois) face off as a wise farmer and proud queen in this tale with Georgian, Kazakh and Ghanaian roots. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Oct 08, 202419 minSeason 8Ep. 15

The Hiding Place

Broadway's Aaron Bartz, Erik Christopher Peterson and Cara Ricketts (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) headline a Jewish and Egyptian story about a high-stakes game of hide and seek. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Oct 01, 202426 minSeason 8Ep. 14

Encore: The Princess and the Bee

Duchess Sarah Ferguson of York (Storytime with Fergie) and Suzie McGrath (Star Wars Resistance, The Punies) star in this charming tale about the importance of having a sound, sensible head, and a warm, fuzzy heart. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Sep 24, 202424 minSeason 8Ep. 13

Encore: Chameleon’s Contest

Jonica Booth (Rap Stuff, Bad Girls Club) and Jay Pharoah (Out of Office, Saturday Night Live) co-star in this West African tale about a clothing-obsessed goddess and a crafty, colorful chameleon. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Sep 17, 202422 minSeason 8Ep. 12

A Horse for Hire

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this Haitian and Creole tale is all about hefty horses and broken deals. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Sep 10, 202425 minSeason 8Ep. 11

The Price Master

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this Indian tale shows what happens when the price is right... and the price is wrong! Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Sep 03, 202425 minSeason 8Ep. 10

The Farmer and the Cow

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this Icelandic tale features a magical bovine who's able to moooooove mountains! Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Aug 27, 202423 minSeason 8Ep. 9

Laughing and Crying

Recorded live at The Athenaeum Center in Chicago, IL, this tale with East Asian and Egyptian roots pits a proud king against a sharp-witted schoolteacher who proves she's nobody's fool. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Aug 20, 202426 minSeason 8Ep. 8

Giant Steps

Recorded live at The Athenaeum Center in Chicago, IL, this tale from the Iraqi Jewish tradition gives a whole new meaning to "putting your best foot forward." Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Aug 09, 202427 minSeason 8Ep. 7

The Spotted Goat

Recorded live at Town Hall Seattle, this tale with Palestinian and Lebanese roots suggests that when somebody gets your goat, don't be shy about putting them on the spot! Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Aug 06, 202430 minSeason 8Ep. 6

Granny Snowstorm

Recorded live at Town Hall Seattle, this Ukrainian tale follows a sister and brother as they meet the supernatural spirit who brings winter. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jul 30, 202428 minSeason 8Ep. 5

The Doggies in the Window

Recorded live at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR, this Japanese tale about fragile statues and tough shopkeepers proves that every dog can have its day. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jul 23, 202422 minSeason 8Ep. 4

The Sea and the Sky

Recorded live at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR, this high-flying tale explains how the islands of the Philippines came to be. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jul 16, 202419 minSeason 8Ep. 3

The Buffalo’s Shadow

Recorded live at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, MN, this Cambodian folktale shows what happens when you find clever solutions to shady problems. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jul 09, 202424 minSeason 8Ep. 2

Home Sweet Home

Recorded live at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, MN, this East African tale about unlikely roommates proves that sometimes the smallest can be the strongest of all. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jul 02, 202424 minSeason 8Ep. 1

Encore: Misery Loves Company

Samin Nosrat (Salt Fat Acid Heat, Home Cooking), Hrishikesh Hirway (Home Cooking, Song Exploder) and Josh Malina (The West Wing, Chutzpod) star in this Ukrainian and Polish tale about what happens when misery loves company so much, it actually comes to life! Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jun 25, 202420 minSeason 7Ep. 57

Encore: The Friend Ship

Carra Patterson (Rustin, Elsbeth) stars in a tale from Japan about a woman with enough generosity to last a lifetime, and a man with enough greed to sink a ship. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jun 18, 202422 minSeason 7Ep. 56

Encore: The Little Blue Pebble

In this magical story with worldwide roots, Broadway performers Bret Shuford and Stephen Hanna (Broadway Husbands) play farmers who receive a little magic that leads to big transformations! Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jun 11, 202429 minSeason 7Ep. 55

Encore: The Bright Yellow Hat

Jona Xiao (Raya and the Last Dragon, Hightown) plays a flower peddler who makes gardens and goodness grow in this story with Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, Moroccan, French, Canadian and Peruvian roots. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Jun 04, 202426 minSeason 7Ep. 54

The Crystal Story Box

Bashir Salahuddin (Top Gun: Maverick, South Side) plays legendary trickster Anansi in this West African tale about how stories first came to the world. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

May 28, 202425 minSeason 7Ep. 53

Encore: The Troupe of Ten

Malia Baker (The Baby-Sitters Club), Kelly Jenrette (All-American: Homecoming) and Kenny Leu (Midway) headline a story about a troupe of actors who bring down the house until they're nearly brought down themselves. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

May 21, 202424 minSeason 7Ep. 52

The Long Crimson Thread

Jessika Van (Seoul Searching, Awkward) and Mark Pellegrino (American Rust, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley) co-star in a Welsh tale about a girl, a drought, and a mouse with a life-saving secret. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

May 14, 202421 minSeason 7Ep. 51

The Snow Eater

Cree Summer (Good Times, Abbott Elementary) headlines a Blackfoot legend about fast friends, warm winds, and why bears hibernate during the winter. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

May 07, 202422 minSeason 7Ep. 50

The Laughing Bird

Kenny Curtis (Greeking Out) stars in a legend from Aboriginal Australia about dark days, light humor, and a little bird with a big laugh. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Apr 30, 202421 minSeason 7Ep. 49

The Rightful Heir

Oliver Stark (9-1-1, Into the Badlands) plays a clever king who concocts the perfect plan for telling a good egg from a bad seed. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Apr 23, 202423 minSeason 7Ep. 48

Encore: The Friendship Orchard

NPR veterans Linda Wertheimer and Susan Stamberg co-star in a Kazakh folktale about lifelong friends whose bond is tested by an unexpected discovery. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Apr 16, 202417 minSeason 7Ep. 47

A Bee in the Bush

Erika Ishii (Worlds Beyond Number, Apex Legends) headlines this Vietnamese tale about getting a bee in your bonnet, buzzing off, and feeling the sting. Take our listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/crpod

Apr 09, 202423 minSeason 7Ep. 46
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