The Orbiting Human Circus

WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents
  • 4.6 (1.3K)
  • COMEDY FICTION
The Orbiting Human Circus Podcast

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.

  1. 04/20/2023

    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.

    1 min

  2. 09/22/2021

    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

    3 min

  3. 12/14/2020

    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 will be very small, and Julian will arrive in the middle of each with a few songs and stories to share, then will visit with you. We can’t wait!

    1 min

  4. 06/17/2020

    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 to stay up-to-date on everything to come. In the meantime, look out for the final songs from the season on Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp and more this summer and a special bonus episode coming very soon!  The Orbiting Human Circus in Naughty Till New Years is dedicated to Walter Lowery, Marjorie Hirsch, Joan Hirsch, Jeremy Ayers, and Charlotte Koster. Naughty Till New Years featured Drew Callander, Julian Koster, David Barlow, John Cameron Mitchell, Susannah Flood, Dan Solomon, Jessie Shelton, Miche Braden, Nicholas Carter, Walter Lowery, Marjorie Hirsch, Harrison Beckwith, Jonah Mussolino, Hy Wolfe, Andy Lauer, Magali Charron and Alaska Charron Cacchione, Juno McLarnon and Keiran McLarnon, Steve Bello, Charlotte Koster, and Tim Robbins.  Written and directed by Julian Koster and produced by Christy Gressman.  Musical composition and arrangement by Thomas Hughes; music and songs by the Music Tapes, featuring horns by Robbie Cucchiaro; music by the Orbiting Quartet, featuring Gauvain Gamon on bass, Benjamin Miller on piano, Kolja Gjoni on drums, and Romica and North the Singing Saws, who were encouraged to sing by Julian; and piano performance by Benjamin Miller and 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, foley by John Ringhofer, lathe cutting by Steve Espinola, and engineering by Vincent Cacchione. Additional production and mixing by Will Stanton.  Music from the show is released by Merge Records: https://smarturl.it/OrbitingS2songs. Become a Friend of the Orbiting Human Circus on Patreon: patreon.com/orbitinghumancircus, check out shirts, pins, and more at topatoco.com/collections/orbiting-human-circus, and follow us on Instagram @orbitinghumancircus or Twitter @orbitinghuman. For our mailing list and more information on live shows and other OHC things to come, go to orbitinghumancircus.com.  Check out Stellar Firma, a semi-improvised science fiction comedy podcast that follows the misadventures of Stellar Firma Ltd. planetary designer Trexel Geistman and his bewildered clone assistant David 7, at www.rustyquill.com/stellar-firma or wherever your get your podcasts. If you love Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy or Red Dwarf, you’ll love this award-winning and absurd comedy podcast!

    49 min

  5. 05/27/2020

    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 Espinola; engineering by Vincent Cacchione; and additional production and mixing by Will Stanton.  Music from the show is released by Merge Records: https://smarturl.it/OrbitingS2songs. Become a Friend of the Orbiting Human Circus on Patreon: patreon.com/orbitinghumancircus, check out shirts, pins, and more at topatoco.com/collections/orbiting-human-circus, and follow us on Instagram @orbitinghumancircus or Twitter @orbitinghuman. For our mailing list and more information, go to orbitinghumancircus.com.

    30 min

  6. 05/13/2020

    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 Jeff Tobias, with Julian; sound design by Jonathan Siri-Mohs, foley by John Ringhofer, and lathe cutting by Steve Espinola; engineering by Vincent Cacchione; and additional production and mixing by Will Stanton.  Music from the show is released by Merge Records — look for it on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Bandcamp, or your favorite digital music service provider. Become a Friend of the Orbiting Human Circus on Patreon: patreon.com/orbitinghumancircus, check out shirts, pins, and more at topatoco.com/collections/orbiting-human-circus, and follow us on Instagram @orbitinghumancircus or Twitter @orbitinghuman. For full credits and more information, go to orbitinghumancircus.com.

    26 min

  7. 05/06/2020

    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 Music Tapes and the Orbiting Quartet, featuring Gauvain Gamon on bass, Benjamin Miller on piano, Kolja Gjoni on drums, Romica the Singing Saw, who was encouraged to sing by Julian; 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 Espinola; engineering by Vincent Cacchione; and additional production and mixing by Will Stanton. Julian’s performance in the recap was directed by guest director Dennis Koster, Julian’s father.  Music from the show is released by Merge Records: https://smarturl.it/OrbitingS2songs. Become a Friend of the Orbiting Human Circus on Patreon: patreon.com/orbitinghumancircus, check out shirts, pins, and more at topatoco.com/collections/orbiting-human-circus, and follow us on Instagram @orbitinghumancircus or Twitter @orbitinghuman. For full credits and more information, go to orbitinghumancircus.com.

    19 min

  8. 04/07/2020

    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

    1 min
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4.6
out of 5
1,349 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2023
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © WNYC Studios and Night Vale Presents
  • Show Website
    The Orbiting Human Circus

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