Lions & Legends

Host Rebecca Sheir and composer Eric Shimelonis invite you to a live recording of their exciting new kids and family podcast, Lions and Legends!

Lions and Legends features fun, fantastical retellings of legends, myths, folktales, and fables for all ages. Be part of the magic as Rebecca, Eric, and a talented cast of actors record two action-packed, music-filled episodes before your very eyes – and ears!

Host/Narrator:

Rebecca Sheir has written and hosted the kids and family podcasts Circle Round and Who, When, Wow!, and is proud to have created Lions and Legends with her partner in podcasting and life, Eric Shimelonis. Before embarking on a passionate career in family storytelling, Rebecca brought thousands of stories to life as a public radio reporter and host, appearing on national programs like “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered,” “Here & Now,” and “Marketplace,” and regional shows like “AK” (Alaska Public Media) and “Metro Connection” (WAMU in Washington, D.C.).

Composer/Musician:

Composer, multi-instrumentalist, and audio producer Eric Shimelonis has wowed audiences in person, on the screen, and on countless podcast players around the world. His compositions have been played on-stage at Boston Symphony Hall, Tanglewood, the Kennedy Center, the Juilliard School, Carnegie Hall, and at countless theaters across the United States. Eric has won a Helen Hayes Award and been nominated for Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Big Easy, and Henry Hewes Design Awards. Film highlights include the features “International Falls” and “Winter Passing.”

Cast:

Award-winning journalist, host, producer, and public speaker Jane Lindholm is the host, creator, and executive producer of But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids. The former longtime host of Vermont Public's flagship public affairs show, Vermont Edition, Jane began her career at NPR in Washington, D.C, before working as director of the national business show Marketplace. Jane is driven by the desire to understand how the world works and why people do the things they do!

Lee Overtree is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Story Pirates and executive producer and co-host of the Story Pirates Podcast. With Story Pirates, Lee has co-created and overseen The Cat in the Hat Podcast, Bugs and Daffy’s Thanksgiving Road Trip podcast, Historical Records (a history and hip-hop podcast with Questlove), and Game On (a family sports podcast with Stephen Curry). Lee received Drama Desk and Ovation nominations for the book of his musical Found (co-written with Hunter Bell), and has stage-directed at esteemed theater companies, aquariums, and museums across the country.

Mindy Thomas is an award-winning host, writer, and co-founder of Tinkercast. She is the co-creator of the award-winning Wow in the World franchise, the host of Two Whats?! And A Wow!: People Who Wow on podcast and YouTube, and co-author of the New York Times bestselling Wow in the World book series. For more than two decades, Mindy has inspired kids and families through storytelling, science, and imagination as the longtime host of Absolutely Mindy on SiriusXM's Kids Place. In 2024, The Hollywood Reporter named Mindy and her longtime collaborator Guy Raz among "The 50 Most Powerful Players in Kids Entertainment."

Ryan Willard is a writer and host based in NYC. He was a fellow in the Sesame Street Writers' Room and wrote for Elmo, as well as their animated series, Bea's Block. He is currently the head writer and host of The Ten News podcast, which won the Ambie for Best News Podcast in 2025. Ryan recently joined the First Stop News YouTube channel where he is also the host and head writer.