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The Orbiting Human Circus

WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents

Discover a wondrously surreal world of magic, music, and mystery. This immersive, cinematic audio spectacle follows the adventures of a lonely, stage-struck janitor who is drawn into the larger-than-life universe of the Orbiting Human Circus, a fantastical, wildly popular radio show broadcast from the top of the Eiffel Tower. WNYC Studios presents a special director’s cut of this joyous, moving break from reality. Starring John Cameron Mitchell, Julian Koster, Tim Robbins, Drew Callander, Susannah Flood, and featuring Mandy Patinkin and Charlie Day.
Season one of The Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air) is a co-presentation of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents.

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20 episodes
Avg 21 min
English

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Apr 20, 2023 · 1 min
New OHC Song and Live Shows!
New Orbiting Human Circus song — The Lost Angel — out now on Merge Records, everywhere! Plus, live shows! See https://www.orbitinghumancircus.com/live-shows for info and tickets.
Sep 22, 2021 · 2 min
Introducing Milky Way Underground
Introducing a new fiction podcast from members of the team behind The Orbiting Human Circus: Join siblings Lydia and Elijah on a fantastical, surreal journey through a mysterious dreamworld as they search for their missing father. A unique audio adventure about the difficulties and the joys of growing up and becoming yourself, fit for the whole family. Brought to you by TRAX from PRX. www.milkywayunderground.com
Dec 14, 2020 · 45 sec
A Orbiting Human Circus Holiday Event
Julian will be caroling holiday (virtual) gatherings and meet-ups of you, your loved ones, and friends old and new during the weekend of December 18th. You are invited to join us! Come by yourself or invite friends and family to join too. To learn how, email caroling@orbitinghumancircus.com and tell us where you are in the world! We’ll email back with instructions on how to reserve a spot, how to invite others, and how to say hello to fellow party-goers before the caroling begins. Gatherings wil
#14
Jun 17, 2020 · 49 min
Naughty Till New Years: Season Finale, Part Two
Our grand conclusion. The Orbiting Human Circus in Naughty Till New Years was a co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Though this season has come to an end, The Orbiting Human Circus will return as soon as we can with live performances around the world, and production will begin soon on a new Orbiting Human Circus podcast, in which all your favorite characters will return and all will be revealed, so join our mailing list at orbitinghumancircus.com or follow us on social media
#13
May 27, 2020 · 29 min
Naughty Till New Years: Season Finale, Part One
Our season begins its grand conclusion. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman. With musical composition and arrangement by Thomas Hughes, piano performance by Benjamin Miller, and music by the Music Tapes; lead editor Grant Stewart, editor Jaanelle Yee, and assistant editors Emily Marinoff and Jeff Tobias, with Julian; sound design by Jonathan Siri-Mohs, foley by John Ringhofer, and lathe cutting by Steve E
#12
May 13, 2020 · 25 min
Naughty Till New Years: Twelfthly, It’s a Scream (Pt. 2)
Tim Robbins plays our beloved flea and it's an absolute scream. The second half of a scream. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Featuring David Barlow, Drew Callander, Julian Koster, Susannah Flood, Andy Lauer, and Tim Robbins. Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman. With musical composition and arrangement by Thomas Hughes, and music by the Music Tapes; lead editor Grant Stewart, editor Jaanelle Yee, and assistant editors Emily Marinoff and
#11
May 6, 2020 · 19 min
Naughty Till New Years: Eleventhly, It's a Scream (Pt. 1), plus Season Recap
How to escape. Escape with the Janitor! The Orbiting Human Circus returns with twice the fun: the first half of a special double episode. It’s a scream! The first half of a scream. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Featuring John Cameron Mitchell, Susannah Flood, Harrison Beckwith, Walter Lowery, Julian Koster, and Drew Callander. Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman With musical composition and arrangement by Thomas Hughes; music by the M
Apr 7, 2020 · 1 min
Special Announcement: An Orbiting Livestream
Julian Koster presents a livestream show of songs, stories, and games of the Orbiting Human Circus and the Music Tapes, on Wednesday, April 8th at 10:30pm Eastern Time. Join us on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/8Dd7_EqDmA8
#10
Mar 18, 2020 · 31 min
Naughty Till New Years: Tenthly, a Time for Dreamers
We left the door open for you, come and see what’s inside... A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Featuring Drew Callander, David Barlow, Julian Koster, Susannah Flood, Dan Solomon, John Cameron Mitchell, Jessie Shelton, Nicholas Carter, and Miche Braden. Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman; with musical composition and arrangement by Thomas Hughes, music by Steve Bello and the Music Tapes; lead editor Grant Stewart, editor Jaanelle Yee, and
#9
Mar 4, 2020 · 29 min
Naughty Till New Years: Ninthly, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner!
Fun with 2000 telescopes, and the stunning return of somebody very special. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Featuring Drew Callander, David Barlow, Julian Koster, Susannah Flood, Dan Solomon, John Cameron Mitchell, Jessie Shelton, Nicholas Carter, and Miche Braden. Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman; with musical composition and arrangement by Thomas Hughes, music by Gauvain Gamon on bass, Benjamin Miller on piano, Kolja Gjoni on drums
#8
Feb 20, 2020 · 30 min
Naughty Till New Years: Eighthly, a Booth by the Seaside
What was REALLY in the shoeboxes? A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Featuring Drew Callander, Harrison Beckwith, and Julian Koster. Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman; with musical composition and arrangement by Thomas Hughes, music by the Music Tapes, and piano performance by Andy Lauer; lead editor Grant Stewart, editor Jaanelle Yee, and assistant editors Emily Marinoff and Jeff Tobias, with Julian; sound design by Jonathan Siri-Mohs,
#7
Feb 5, 2020 · 22 min
Naughty Till New Years: Seventhly, the Gift
The story of an unusual gift and several strikes of lightning. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Featuring Drew Callander, John Cameron Mitchell, Susannah Flood, David Barlow, Dan Solomon, Miche Braden, Nicholas Carter, Jessie Shelton, Harrison Beckwith, Jonah Mussolino, Andy Lauer, Walter Lowery, and Julian Koster. Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman; with musical composition and arrangement by Thomas Hughes and music by the Music Tapes;
#6
Jan 22, 2020 · 22 min
Naughty Till New Years: Sixthly, the Flea Talks
Tim Robbins stars as the flea. Yes, we convinced an Oscar winner to portray a flea. Poor man. He did nothing to deserve this. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Starring Tim Robbins, John Cameron Mitchell, Drew Callander, Susannah Flood, David Barlow, Dan Solomon, Miche Braden, Nicholas Carter, Hy Wolfe, Jessie Shelton, Magali Charron and Alaska Charron Cacchione, Juno McLarnon and Keiran McLarnon, Walter Lowery, Julian Koster, and Julian’s grandmother, Charlotte Koster, as
#5
Jan 8, 2020 · 24 min
Naughty Till New Years: Fifthly, Do You Dream?
Dreams run amok as we learn new things about John Cameron, Laeticia, the stagehands, Coco, and of course the Janitor, when we return to a stunning cliffhanger moment in the broadcast ballroom. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Starring Walter Lowery, John Cameron Mitchell, Drew Callander, Susannah Flood, David Barlow, Dan Solomon, Nicholas Carter, and Julian Koster. Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman; with musical composition and arrange
Dec 18, 2019 · 29 min
The Orbiting Human Circus Holiday Vacation
Take a holiday break with The Orbiting Human Circus. This episode isn’t a part of the story of The Orbiting Human Circus in Naughty Till New Years, but the flea and the whole OHC gang will return in Naughty till New Years on January 8, 2020, with biweekly episodes running all the way through the end of April. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. This special holiday episode featured Larry Ratso Sloman in First Night, Drew Callander in A Visit from the Platypus, and in the st
#4
Dec 11, 2019 · 11 min
Naughty Till New Years: Fourthly... How to Disappear (Lesson III of III)
If you haven’t disappeared yet, don’t worry — there’s still time! Listen now! Stay tuned for a special holiday episode next week. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Starring Drew Callander, Susannah Flood, David Barlow, Walter Lowery, and Julian Koster. Written and directed by Julian Koster, and produced by Christy Gressman. For full credits and more information, go to orbitinghumancircus.com. Music from the show is released by Merge Records: https://smarturl.it/OrbitingS
#3
Dec 4, 2019 · 21 min
Naughty Till New Years: Thirdly... How to Disappear (Lessons I and II of III)
We are introduced to a startling ability of the Janitor’s. New episodes every other Wednesday. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Starring John Cameron Mitchell, Drew Callander, Susannah Flood, David Barlow, Dan Solomon, Walter Lowery, and Julian Koster. Written and directed by Julian Koster, and produced by Christy Gressman. For full credits and more information, go to orbitinghumancircus.com. Music from the show is released by Merge Records: https://smarturl.it/OrbitingS
#2
Nov 20, 2019 · 26 min
Naughty Till New Years: Secondly, the Past
We travel back in time to the janitor’s first nights at the tower in this, Naughty Till New Years’ second installment. New episodes every other Wednesday. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Starring John Cameron Mitchell, Drew Callander, Susannah Flood, David Barlow, Dan Solomon, Nicholas Carter, Walter Lowery, and Julian Koster, with Magali and Alaska as the Chouinard family. Written and directed by Julian Koster, and produced by Christy Gressman. For full credits and more
#1
Nov 6, 2019 · 40 min
Naughty Till New Years: Firstly, the Janitor
This is the perfect place for new listeners to begin. All your favorite Orbiting Human Circus characters return in a brand new adventure, inviting you into the mystery surrounding the lonely young janitor who lives at the Eiffel Tower... and has no idea how he got there. New episodes every other Wednesday! A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Starring John Cameron Mitchell, Drew Callander, Susannah Flood, David Barlow, Dan Solomon, and Julian Koster. Written and directed by J
Oct 23, 2019 · 3 min
The Orbiting Human Circus in Naughty Till New Years: Trailer
The Orbiting Human Circus in Naughty Till New Years is the perfect place for new listeners to begin. All your favorite Orbiting Human Circus characters return in a brand new adventure, inviting you into the mystery surrounding the lonely young janitor who lives at the Eiffel Tower... and has no idea how he got there. It all starts November 6, 2019. A co-production of WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents. Starring John Cameron Mitchell, Drew Callander, Susannah Flood, David Barlow, Dan Solomon,

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