Circle Round

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.

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2024

Recorded live at The Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR, this high-flying tale explains how the islands of the Philippines came to be.

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2024

Recorded live at The Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, MN, this Cambodian folktale shows what happens when you find clever solutions to shady problems.

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2024

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!

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 18 June 2024

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!

Transcribed - Published: 11 June 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2024

Bashir Salahuddin (Top Gun: Maverick, South Side) plays legendary trickster Anansi in this West African tale about how stories first came to the world.

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2024

Cree Summer (Good Times, Abbott Elementary) headlines a Blackfoot legend about fast friends, warm winds, and why bears hibernate during the winter.

Transcribed - Published: 7 May 2024

Kenny Curtis (Greeking Out) stars in a legend from Aboriginal Australia about dark days, light humor, and a little bird with a big laugh.

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2024

NPR veterans Linda Wertheimer and Susan Stamberg co-star in a Kazakh folktale about lifelong friends whose bond is tested by an unexpected discovery.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2024

Erika Ishii (Worlds Beyond Number, Apex Legends) headlines this Vietnamese tale about getting a bee in your bonnet, buzzing off, and feeling the sting.

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2024

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

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 23 January 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 9 January 2024

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?

Transcribed - Published: 2 January 2024

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.

Transcribed - Published: 26 December 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2023

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

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2023

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!

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2023

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

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 24 October 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 17 October 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2023

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

Transcribed - Published: 3 October 2023

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!

Transcribed - Published: 26 September 2023

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

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 12 September 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 5 September 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 31 August 2023

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.

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2023

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!

Transcribed - Published: 22 August 2023