Circle Round

40 Episodes
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By: WBUR

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.

Princess Persistence
#4
Today at 7:00 PM

Aparna Brielle (FUBAR, A.P. Bio) stars as a legendary Indian princess whose love, devotion and courage face the ultimate test.


True Colors
#3
08/19/2025

Heather Burns (Bored to Death, Manchester by the Sea) and Ajay Naidu (Office Space, Blindspot) headline a Bantu, Zulu and Tumbuka tale about why the hyena's coat is spotted and scraggly.


Milk from a Bull
#2
08/12/2025

Recorded live at Tanglewood with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and a star-studded cast, this tale with roots in India, Mongolia, Siberia and the Philippines is all about thinking outside the box... and inside the jar.


The Seamstress and the Deev
#1
08/05/2025

Recorded live at Tanglewood with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and a star-studded cast, this Afghan tale follows a savvy seamstress and her chatty kitty on a royally epic adventure.


Encore: The Unselfish Shellfish
#57
07/29/2025

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.


Encore: The Missing Mountainside
#56
07/22/2025

Karen Huie (Welcome to Flatch, Abominable and the Invisible City), stars in a Taiwanese tale about the bad taste it can leave when you bite off more than you can chew!


Encore: The Mountain Guardian
#55
07/16/2025

Audrey Hsieh (Here Today, Mixtape) and Alonzo Bodden (Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Who's Paying Attention) headline this Tibetan tale about two family members who are rewarded appropriately by a stone lion, one for her generosity and one for his greed.


Encore: Of Beans and Bunnies
#54
07/08/2025

Efren Ramirez (Napoleon Dynamite, Lightyear) portrays a beloved trickster who lives by his wits, and uses them to outwit others, in this folktale from the Spanish-speaking world.


Encore: Mangoes in the Middle
#53
07/01/2025

Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts, We Are Freestyle Love Supreme) stars in an Indian tale about an ingenious royal advisor who cunningly proves the true owner of a fruitful treasure.


Encore: Hungry Hippo
#52
06/24/2025

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.


Encore: Strong Mind and Kind Heart
#51
06/17/2025

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.


Encore: Counting Crocodiles
#50
06/10/2025

In this playful tale from Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia, Tiya Sircar (Star Wars Rebels, The Good Place) plays a cunning mouse deer who teaches a cantankerous crocodile a lesson.


Encore: The Rooster in the Sky
#49
06/03/2025

In this adventure story with roots in Russia, Hungary and the Middle East, a magical rooster rewards Rachel Matthews (Frozen 2) for her fearless persistence and precious friendship.


Out of Time
#48
05/27/2025

Brittany Ishibashi (Marvel’s Runaways, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) stars in a Japanese tale about the power of stories, and the value of reading -- and listening -- between the lines.


The Fruits of Labor
#47
05/20/2025

Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice, Fargo) stars in an ancient Jewish tale about how working to benefit the future can bring sweet rewards in the present.


The Big Green Bag
#46
05/13/2025

Tim Bagley (Somebody Somewhere, Hacks) and Rebecca Mader (Lost, Once Upon a Time) co-star in a Rumanian and British tale about the high-flying differences between wants and needs.


Call of the Cuckoo
#45
05/06/2025

Stephen Hanna and Bret Shuford (Broadway Husbands, Husbands 2 Dads) headline a European and Asian tale about outlawing anger, forbidding frustration, and making the feathers fly!


Encore: Friends in High Places
#44
04/29/2025

Mario Cantone (And Just Like That, Surf's Up) and Denise Crosby (Star Trek: The Next Generation) star in this folktale about how the giraffe got its long neck, and how the rhino got an unexpected ally!


At First Light
#43
04/22/2025

Natalie Dormer (Audrey's Children, Game of Thrones) headlines a legend from Aboriginal Australia about a bright, bold bird and the illuminating power of teamwork.


The Donkey’s Tail
#42
04/15/2025

Rapper/poet Omar Offendum (Little Syria) stars in a Persian and North African tale about righting wrongs and sniffing out a thief.


One Good Turn
#41
04/08/2025

Alan Goffinski, Ana González and Lulu Miller (Terrestrials) star in a very international story about returning favors and being stuck between a rock and a hard place.


In the Willow Tree
#40
04/01/2025

Stephanie Koenig (Lessons in Chemistry, The English Teacher) and Patrick Luwis (Cobra Kai) star in a Taiwanese tale about a tiny ant, a boastful pigeon, and unexpected favors.


Miss Tilda
#39
03/25/2025

Arienne Mandi (The L Word: Generation Q, The Night Agent) and Patrick Renna (You Gotta Believe, The Sandlot) go head-to-head in a battle of wits in this tale with roots across Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and the American Southwest.


Crocus-Pocus
#38
03/18/2025

Jacob Laval (The Unbreakable Boy, John Mulaney and the Sack Lunch Bunch) and Amanda Warren (The Night Agent, East New York) headline a Sicilian tale about sowing the seeds of kindness, compassion and crocuses.


The Flame Keeper
#37
03/11/2025

Joy Ofodu (Dating Unsettled, Heart of Sunshine) and Camron Jones (Panic, Shameless) co-star in a Huichol story from Mexico about stolen fire and bald tails.


Maushop and the Shark
#36
03/04/2025

Román Zaragoza (Ghosts) stars in a Wampanoag tale about a gentle giant, a hungry shark, and the power of fun and games.


Diamonds in the Sky
#35
02/25/2025

Kyriana Kratter (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew) and Mila Harris (Mary, World-Breaker) headline an out-of-this-world Filipino tale about how the sun and moon came to be.


The Salmon Famine
#34
02/18/2025

Recorded live at Symphony Hall with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and a star-studded cast, this indigenous Pacific Northwest tale follows a wily coyote on a daring rescue.


The Well of Honor
#33
02/11/2025

Recorded live at Symphony Hall with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians and a star-studded cast, this Egyptian, Iraqi, Palestinian, Sudanese and Tunisian tale shows the importance of never biting off more than you can chew.


Encore: The Lumps of Clay
#32
02/04/2025

Maulik Pancholy (Phineas and Ferb, Sanjay and Craig) stars in a classic Indian story about a witty royal adviser who finds an ingenious way to bring the truth to light.


The Zodiac Twelve
#31
01/28/2025

Tzi Ma (Five Blind Dates, Interior Chinatown) and Jimmy Wong (Mulan, Wish Dragon) co-star in an action-packed legend about the origin of the Chinese zodiac animals.


Hot Potatoes
#30
01/21/2025

Arlen Escarpeta (Found, The Oath) headlines a tale from southern Africa about stolen spuds and hare-brained schemes.


The Cobbler’s Soul
#29
01/14/2025

John Patrick Amedori (Three Women, Dear White People) headlines an internationally-inspired story about fixing soles and saving souls.


Encore: Ariana’s Music
#28
01/07/2025

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!


Encore: Three Clever Brothers
#27
12/31/2024

Alexandra Billings (Transparent, Paddleton) stars in a North African, Middle Eastern and central and north-central Asian folktale about the power of a keen eye and a quick mind.


Encore: Getting Skunked
#26
12/24/2024

Terrence Terrell (B Positive, Giants) stars in this Abenaki tale about a gentle giant who brings night and day to the world, and gives a certain striped critter its telltale scent.


The Peach of Life
#25
12/17/2024

Recorded live at Symphony Space, a star-studded cast brings to life this Chinese and Vietnamese legend about the healing power of a kind and honest heart.


The Wild Goose Chase
#24
12/10/2024

Recorded live at Symphony Space with a star-studded cast, this magical tale inspired by Ukrainian and Russian lore follows a kindly tailor as he embarks on an unforgettable chase.


Encore: The Most Fabulous Fur of All
#23
12/03/2024

Q'orianka Kilcher (Yellowstone, Dora and the Lost City of Gold) stars in a Cherokee tale about a clever rabbit who craftily tries pulling the wool — and fur — over everyone’s eyes.


Dancing to a Different Tune
#22
11/26/2024

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.