Circle Round
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 6, 2021 • 19min
The Fire Within feat. Maz Jobrani
Comedian and actor Maz Jobrani (Pandemic Warrior, Back To School With Maz Jobrani) plays a wise man with an on-fire imagination in this clever tale from Turkey, Balochistan, India, Ethiopia, Kenya, the West Indies, and the Hispano community of New Mexico.
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Mar 30, 2021 • 23min
The Governor’s Puzzle feat. Tiffany Espensen
Tiffany Espensen (Spider-Man: Homecoming, Kirby Buckets) stars in this Chinese folktale about thinking outside the box and inside the boat.
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Mar 23, 2021 • 18min
Encore: The Queen's Gift
This favorite episode from our archives is in loving memory of an actor you've heard in numerous Circle Round stories, including this one: Delores King Williams.
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Mar 16, 2021 • 17min
Mangoes in the Middle feat. Utkarsh Ambudkar
In this tale from India, Utkarsh Ambudkar (Brittany Runs a Marathon, We Are Freestyle Love Supreme) plays an ingenious royal advisor who cunningly proves the true owner of a fruitful treasure.
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Mar 9, 2021 • 19min
Counting Crocodiles feat. Tiya Sircar
In this playful tale from Indonesia and Malaysia, Tiya Sircar (Star Wars Rebels, The Good Place) plays a cunning mouse deer who teaches a cantankerous crocodile a lesson.
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Mar 2, 2021 • 24min
The Uncommon Offering feat. Ruthie Ann Miles
Tony Award Winner Ruthie Ann Miles (The King and I, All Rise) stars in this Paraguayan story about giving the most rare and precious gift of all.
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Feb 23, 2021 • 23min
The Red Leather Shoes feat. Madhur Jaffrey & Aasif Mandvi
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.
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Feb 16, 2021 • 21min
The Wind Catcher feat. Lea Salonga
Tony Award winner Lea Salonga (Miss Saigon, Les Misérables) headlines this Marshallese tale about how the first sailboat came to be.
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Feb 9, 2021 • 20min
Encore: One Speckled Hen
This week, we bring back a favorite story from the archives: Tony Award winner André De Shields (Hadestown, The Full Monty) stars in a Jewish tale that tests the old adage, "Finders keepers, losers weepers."
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Feb 2, 2021 • 21min
All The King’s Dogs feat. Rory Culkin & Jeremy Sisto
Jeremy Sisto (Law and Order, FBI) and Rory Culkin (Waco, Halston) co-star in this Hungarian story about two farmers, one wise king, and a whole mess of canines.
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