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Circle Round

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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wbur.org/podcasts/circleround

Episodes

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.

2024-04-23
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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.

2024-04-16
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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.

2024-04-09
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The Cleverest Person in the Room

Vanessa Aspillaga (Dora Saves the Snow Princess, Leave the World Behind) stars in this Puerto Rican and Chilean tale about baby basil, cuddly kittens, and how two heads can be better than one.

2024-04-02
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The Whole Cart

Julia Chan (Bojack Horseman, Extinct) and Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder, The West Wing Weekly) co-star in a story from India about matching wits, mincing words, and getting the upper hand.

2024-03-26
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The Young Healer

Jonigan Booth (The Underdoggs, This Is Us) headlines this Angolan tale about flowing with your heart, and the healing power of dreams.

2024-03-19
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The Polka-Dotted Pigeon

Adam Goldberg (The Equalizer) stars in this Portuguese tale about ambitions, imposters, and making the feathers fly!

2024-03-12
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The Uncommon Commoner

Recorded live at The Cowell Theater in San Francisco, this story with roots in Europe and Asia proves that wisdom can be found in unexpected places.

2024-03-05
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Grime and Punishment

Recorded live at The Cowell Theater in San Francisco, this Chinese tale shows why a good neighbor is priceless, and why a bad neighbor pays the price.

2024-02-27
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Encore: The Basilisk?s Stare

In this tale inspired by a Polish legend, Nabiyah Be (Black Panther, Daisy Jones & The Six) and Evan Whitten (The Resident, Ahsoka) face off against a fantastical creature whose gaze turns people to stone.

2024-02-20
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The Weeping Witness

Brittany Ishibashi (Runaways, Hawaii Five-O) stars in a Japanese and Persian tale about facing the music and changing your tune.

2024-02-13
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The Lone Dragon

Ellen Wong (Beacon 23, GLOW) headlines a Chinese legend about how the dragon came to be a powerful symbol of prosperity and luck.

2024-02-06
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Something Fishy

Jorma Taccone (The Lonely Island, Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse) stars in a tale from Hawaii about a fisherman whose magical gift leads to a fishy situation.

2024-01-30
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The Seal of Fate

Ahmed Mawas (Human Resources, Rescuing Christmas) plays a king with a knack for finding the truth and sealing the deal in this tale from Persia.

2024-01-23
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The Sharpest Tack

Negin Farsad (Fake the Nation, Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!) and Stacey Vanek Smith (Planet Money, The Indicator) face off in a battle of wits in this tale with roots in North America, China, and the Middle East.

2024-01-16
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Rhyming Rhino

Kel Mitchell (Good Burger 2, Kenan and Kel) plays a hungry rhino with a gift for trickery and poetry in this African tale from the savanna.

2024-01-09
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Encore: The Nine Sticks

Maulik Pancholy (Phineas and Ferb; Mira, Royal Detective) and Nikesh Patel (Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Devil?s Hour) headline this Indian story that asks what's more precious: glittering jewels, or good friends?

2024-01-02
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The Forest Folk

Recorded live at CitySpace at The Lavine Broadcast Center in Boston, Mass., this German tale about unconditional love explains the enchanting origins of a classic holiday tradition.

2023-12-26
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Encore: The Horse of a Different Color

Christina Anthony (Mixed-ish, Key & Peele) and Tony winner Lindsay Mendez (Carousel, Merrily We Roll Along) play a one-of-a-kind horse and rider in this enchanted tale from across the Spanish-speaking world and beyond.

2023-12-19
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Encore: Coyote's Flame

Brittany O'Grady (Little Voice, The White Lotus) stars in a Native American tale about a cunning creature who uses teamwork to bring light, sun and fire to the dark, cold world.

2023-12-12
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The Secret of Success

Helen Hong (Family Switch, The Thundermans) stars in a tale with English, Welsh, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Indian roots about how imagination and effort affect supply and demand.

2023-12-05
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The Valley Visitor

NPR?s Ailsa Chang (All Things Considered) headlines a Chinese tale about a mysterious guest, a raging storm, and the true fruits of kindness.

2023-11-28
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Encore: The Red Leather Shoes

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.

2023-11-21
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Riches to Rags

Veteran Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me! panelists Tom Bodett and Roxanne Roberts co-star in a Dutch tale about a treasure so precious, it's priceless, and so valuable, it's invaluable!

2023-11-14
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The Upside-Down Tree

Comedian Alonzo Bodden (Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Heavy Lightweight) headlines this African legend about how one animal?s mischief created the savanna?s most majestic, magical trees.

2023-11-07
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The Four Winds

Kimberly Guerrero (Spirit Rangers, Reservation Dogs) stars in a tale from the Lakota people about one thieving fox and four wise winds.

2023-10-31
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The Crowning Achievement

Faith Salie (Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me, CBS Sunday Morning) stars in a Jewish legend about a princess who learns how to lead with her head and her heart.

2023-10-24
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The Sweetest Sounds

NPR's Rachel Martin (Up First, Enlighten Me) and Ayesha Rascoe (Weekend Edition, Up First) co-star in a Hungarian tale about a violinist, a wizardess, and listening to the music of your heart.

2023-10-17
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Heart and Stone

Joshua Johnson (The Night Light with Joshua Johnson, Now Tonight with Joshua Johnson) headlines this international tale about losing your heart and finding an adventure.

2023-10-10
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The Stork King

Julian Lerner (The Wonder Years, Alma's Way) stars in a Ukrainian tale about how high-flying risks can pay off in the end.

2023-10-03
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The Empty Barrel

Anjali Bhimani (Overwatch, Stray Gods) stars in this Moroccan Jewish tale about a woman who doesn?t view chores as a barrel of fun, until they lead to a boatload of adventure!

2023-09-26
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The Clock Bird

Byron Mann (The Modelizer) plays a preening, boastful bird in this Latin American story about learning there's no "I" in team.

2023-09-19
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The Bright Side

Broadway star Liana Hunt (Back to the Future) headlines this tale with Polish and Hispanic roots about seeing the bright side, even when things get dark.

2023-09-12
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Encore: The Star Fruit Tree

Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Monkey King) headlines this magical Vietnamese tale about the sweet rewards generosity and contentment can bring.

2023-09-05
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Big news from Rebecca Sheir? plus an exclusive Circle Round story!

Announcing an exciting new way for you to Circle Round with us, support public radio and get some really cool stuff ? welcome to the Circle Round Club!

Also check out the preview of one of our bonus bedtime stories: a tale we call ?The Lighthouse of the Pampas,? from the South American country of Uruguay. 

2023-08-31
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The Elephant in the Room

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this Chinese courtroom drama explores truth, justice, and the elephant way.

2023-08-29
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The Bitter Truth

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this West African tale shows why dishonesty is definitely not the best policy!

2023-08-22
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All Tied Up

Recorded live at Tanglewood with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a star-studded cast, this tale from Borneo features a tiny trickster who untangles a problem by tying it up in knots!

2023-08-15
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A Biscuit, A Basket

Saara Chaudry (The Muppets Mayhem, Holly Hobby) stars in this tale from India and beyond about good deeds, bad intentions, and biscuits. Lots of biscuits.

2023-08-08
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The Blizzard Wizard

Vivien Lyra Blair (Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Boogeyman) headlines this story from the indigenous peoples of Sibera about a supernatural spirit with a very cold shoulder.

2023-08-01
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Encore: The Great Ball Game

In this Native American and First Nations tale, William Jackson Harper (The Good Place, Love Life) portrays a tiny creature who teaches the other animals and birds to appreciate what it means to be different.

2023-07-25
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Encore: A Taste of Honey

Hannah Simone (New Girl; Mira, Royal Detective) stars alongside her real-life father Naren Simone in a South Asian tale about the power of self-reliance.

2023-07-18
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Encore: The Unwelcome Guest

Richard Kind (Inside Out, American Dad!) stars in this Middle Eastern folktale about a clever man who teaches his village a thing or two about the dangers of judging a book by its cover.

2023-07-11
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Encore: The Lion?s Whisker

Miles Brown and Marsai Martin (Black-ish) co-star with NPR veteran Ofeiba Quist-Arcton in this Ethiopian story about courage, collaboration, patience, and sibling love.

2023-07-04
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Buried Treasure - live at KCRW

Recorded live at KCRW in Santa Monica, CA, this story with international roots shows how having a soft spot for hard work can pay off -- big time!

2023-06-27
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Two Moons - live at KCRW

Recorded live at KCRW in Santa Monica, CA, this story from Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia gives a whole new meaning to "promising the moon"!

2023-06-20
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The Bird of a Different Feather - live at Round House Theatre

Recorded live at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, MD, this African tale explains how the guinea fowl got its distinctively speckled feathers.

2023-06-13
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The Pot of Gold - live at Round House Theatre

Recorded live at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, MD, this tale from the Jewish tradition shows how misplacing our trust can put us in a sticky situation!

2023-06-06
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Once Upon a Flame - feat. William Mapother

Willam Mapother (Lost, On Sacred Ground) headlines this Romanian tale about a story-less man who hopes his tale will end happily ever after!

2023-05-30
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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.

2023-05-23
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