Dancing to a Different Tune
World-renowned violinist Hilary Hahn plays a musician with a miraculous gift in this whimsical folktale from South America, North Africa, Europe and the US.
Nov 26, 2024•23 min•Season 8Ep. 22
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 Caged Bird
Tim Matheson (The West Wing, Virgin River) and Jonathan Tucker (Kingdom, Westworld) co-star in a Jewish and Persian tale about a parrot, a prince, and the priceless value of freedom.
Nov 19, 2024•25 min•Season 8Ep. 21
A World of Music
Jon Huertas (This Is Us, Tracker) headlines an Aztec legend about how music first came to the world.
Nov 12, 2024•20 min•Season 8Ep. 20
In the Wolf’s Mouth
Jennifer Hale (Stars Wars: The Clone Wars, X-Men ‘97) stars in a Portuguese tale about a big bad wolf and a sharp shrewd owl.
Nov 05, 2024•17 min•Season 8Ep. 19
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.
Oct 29, 2024•28 min•Season 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.
Oct 22, 2024•20 min•Season 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.
Oct 15, 2024•25 min•Season 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.
Oct 08, 2024•19 min•Season 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.
Oct 01, 2024•26 min•Season 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.
Sep 24, 2024•24 min•Season 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.
Sep 17, 2024•22 min•Season 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.
Sep 10, 2024•25 min•Season 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!
Sep 03, 2024•25 min•Season 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!
Aug 27, 2024•23 min•Season 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.
Aug 20, 2024•26 min•Season 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."
Aug 09, 2024•27 min•Season 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!
Aug 06, 2024•30 min•Season 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.
Jul 30, 2024•28 min•Season 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.
Jul 23, 2024•22 min•Season 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.
Jul 16, 2024•19 min•Season 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.
Jul 09, 2024•24 min•Season 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.
Jul 02, 2024•24 min•Season 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!
Jun 25, 2024•20 min•Season 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.
Jun 18, 2024•22 min•Season 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!
Jun 11, 2024•29 min•Season 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.
Jun 04, 2024•26 min•Season 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.
May 28, 2024•25 min•Season 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.
May 21, 2024•24 min•Season 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.
May 14, 2024•21 min•Season 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.
May 07, 2024•22 min•Season 7Ep. 50
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