West Stockbridge Podcasters Launch Independent Show 'Lions and Legends'
Rebecca Sheir and Eric Shimelonis, a West Stockbridge couple, have started an independent children’s podcast called 'Lions and Legends' after nearly a decade producing 'Circle Round.' The new show expands into myths, legends, and fables, with orchestral music featuring instruments from around the world. They discuss leaving their previous institutional arrangement, working with Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians, and building an international audience from the Berkshires.
Sheir and Shimelonis began Circle Round while their son, now ten, was still a baby. Across nearly ten years, they produced over 300 episodes, turning folktales from many cultures into audio dramas for young audiences. The program found listeners in more than 150 countries and expanded into picture books, live events, merchandise, and a fan club.
Their new podcast, Lions and Legends, stays rooted in West Stockbridge. It widens the story range to myths, legends, and fables. Shimelonis now writes for orchestral textures and instruments from many nations. Previously, the couple worked as external contractors for a radio station owned by a university, an arrangement they found increasingly administratively cumbersome.
The launch may give families another independent source for myth- and music-rich children’s audio, potentially broadening young listeners’ exposure to global stories and instruments. It could also encourage creators in smaller communities to build international audiences while retaining ownership. For Berkshire-area artists and musicians, collaborations may bring cultural visibility and work. Whether it reshapes the children’s podcast sector is uncertain, but it may show that independent, locally rooted production can compete for attention.