PJ Library Presents: Beyond The Bookcase

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Thank Goodness: Princesses and Perspective Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

Cinderella and Rapunzel welcome the kids to stay for the night in their tiny cabin. Cinderella clears the air about her bonus mom, Rapunzel gets a new ’do, and everyone learns about the Jewish value of Hakarat Hatov – recognizing the good.

Credits

Beyond the Bookcase is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher; Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Story Editor: Petey Gibson

Writers: Jan Schwaid, Petey Gibson

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Written by Peter Moore and Alli Thresher. Arranged by Peter Moore.

Performed by Mister G (vocals) and Peter Moore (instruments).

Cast

Miri - Arianna Fox
Micah - Maxwell Glick
Jacob - Caro Cabal Coniglio
Evie - Samantha Philyaw
Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
Cinderella - Gwen D'Angelo
Rapunzel - Daniella Rabbani

Fancy This: Three Lost Kittens and a Season Premiere Oct 18, 2022

Show notes

The kids and Mr. Saifair come up with a plan to save Mashal and rescue Golem from his destructive path. On that path, our friends find three particularly posh kittens whose unprotected paws have left them stranded in the woods. Learn all about the Jewish value of returning lost objects in the season 2 premiere episode of Beyond the Bookcase.

Credits

Beyond the Bookcase is a production of PJ Library.

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher; Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Story Editor: Petey Gibson

Writers: Jan Schwaid, Petey Gibson

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Written by Peter Moore and Alli Thresher.

Arranged by Peter Moore.

Performed by Mister G (vocals) and Peter Moore (instruments).

Cast

Miri - Arianna Fox
Micah - Maxwell Glick
Jacob - Caro Cabal Coniglio
Evie - Samantha Philyaw
Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
Kitten 1 - Malcolm Villaverde
Kitten 2 - Molly Villaverde
Kitten 3 - Blair Which
Peter Rabbit - Zad Gravebone
Bo Peep - Laura Schreiber
Chester the Cat - Alli Thresher
Mr. Saifair - Tau Zaman
Golem - Pat Bordenave
Rabbit - Alli Thresher

Season 1 Finale! May 30, 2022

Show notes

In this season finale of Beyond the Bookcase, things go beyond berserk! The kids arrive at the library but it’s eerily quiet and Auntie PJ is NOWHERE to be found. They discover they can now enter the land of Mashal at will. But when they arrive, it’s no longer just a quest to find Auntie PJ, but a mission to save the Golem and ALL their fairytale friends too. Thanks for coming along on this season’s adventure! Stay tuned for new episodes this fall.

Credits Beyond the Bookcase is a production of PJ Library. Writers: Jan Schwaid, Petey Gibson Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher; Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA Opening Theme Song: Written by Peter Moore and Alli Thresher. Arranged by Peter Moore. Performed by Mister G (vocals) and Peter Moore (instruments). Cast

Jacob – Cara Cabal Coniglio
Evie – Sylvia Beth Schmitz
Blue – Maya Aoki Tuttle
Micah – Maxwell Glick
Miri – Arianna Fox
Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
Golem - Pat Bordenave
Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
Zev the Wolf - Walter Alice Sickert
Chicken Little - Blair Which
Humpty Dumpty - John Henry Kurtz
Marion, the Not-So-Old Woman Living in a Shoe - Tianna Tagami
Bo Peep - Laura Schreiber
Hare - Daniel Amerman

It’s No Rules Day! May 08, 2022

Show notes

It’s Shavuot and the kids have arrived in the mystical land of Mashal to find things in chaos! It seems Zev and several of his fairytale friends have introduced the idea of a day with NO RULES. The kids already have their hands full helping to get things back in order, and then Mr. Saifair takes drastic measures, aiming to get Mashal under control ... with no children allowed ever again!
Learn more about the holiday of Shavuot at pjlibrary.org/shavuot.

Jacob – Cara Cabal Coniglio
Evie – Sylvia Beth Schmitz
Blue – Maya Aoki Tuttle
Micah – Maxwell Glick
Miri – Arianna Fox
Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
Golem - Pat Bordenave
Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
Zev the Wolf - Walter Alice Sickert
Tortoise - David Nickerson
Jack - Richard Wentworth
Hansel -
Gretel - Lyra Ericson

Humpty Dumpty and the Passover Feast Mar 28, 2022

Show notes

A tomato and dairy shortage is threatening to cancel the annual matzah pizza cookoff, and Auntie PJ is freaking out! The kids are whisked away to the land of Mashal where Humpty Dumpty is about to crack under the pressure of hosting his first seder. The kids get help from all their fairytale friends (and even Mr. Saifair) to pick up the Passover pieces and help Humpty keep it together.

Credits

Beyond the Bookcase is a production of PJ Library.

Writers: Jan Schwaid, Petey Gibson

Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher; Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz

Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA

Opening Theme Song: Written by Peter Moore and Alli Thresher. Arranged by Peter Moore.

Performed by Mister G (vocals) and Peter Moore (instruments).

Cast

Jacob – Cara Cabal Coniglio
Evie – Sylvia Beth Schmitz
Blue – Maya Aoki Tuttle
Micah – Maxwell Glick
Miri – Arianna Fox
Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
Golem - Pat Bordenave
Saifair – Tau Zaman
Humpty Dumpty – John Henry Kurtz
Hare – Daniel Amerman
Goldilocks – Maya Aoki Tuttle
Snow White – Laura Schreiber
Chicken Little – Blair Which

The Big Bad Wolf and the Purimspiel Mar 07, 2022

Show notes

It’s time for the purimspiel, the annual performance telling the story of Purim. The kids are trying to decide which characters everyone will play but they can’t get Jacob to settle on a role. Once again transported to the land of Mashal, they meet Bubbe and a not-so-bad wolf named Zev. He’s having his own trouble finding his role in Mashal’s Purim carnival. They’ll all have to work together to help both Zev and Jacob pick the perfect part.

Micah – Maxwell Glick
Miri - Arianna Fox
Jacob - Cara Cabal Coniglio
Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
Golem - Pat Bordenave
Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
Zev the Wolf - Walter Alice Sickert
Little Red - Anne Alexander Sieder

Chicken Little’s Havdalah Walk Feb 07, 2022

Show notes

The kids come to the library for a Pajama Havdalah event, but their upcoming move has Blue feeling more stressed than blessed. Whisked away to the fantastic land of Mashal, the kids run into Chicken Little, who can relate to Blue’s fear of change. She’s upset about Shabbat coming to an end. A Havdalah walk through Mashal is just what this group needs in order to learn that endings open the door for sweet new beginnings.

Micah – Maxwell Glick
Miri - Arianna Fox
Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
Golem - Pat Bordenave
Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
Chicken Little - Blair Which
Hare - Daniel Amerman
Jack - Richard Wentworth
Snow White - Laura Schreiber

Goostav and the Beanstalk Jan 04, 2022

Show notes

Auntie PJ is teaching the kids about hashavat aveidah, the Jewish commandment about returning lost objects to their rightful owners. Transported to the mystical land of Mashal, they find their fairy tale friend Jack. He’s recovering from a frisbee golf injury, so he needs the kids’ help doing some hashavat aveidah of his own. He has to return a certain golden goose, and its rightful owner is a pretty BIG deal in the land of Mashal. Featuring special guest voice Matt Gutman.

Micah – Maxwell Glick
Miri - Arianna Fox
Jacob - Cara Cabal Coniglio
Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
Golem - Pat Bordenave
Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
Giant - Mat Gutman
Jack - Richard Wentworth

Goldilocks and the Tzedakah Project Dec 13, 2021

Show notes

A new friend named Jacob joins the kids to help Auntie PJ gather donations for people in need. But since this is no ordinary synagogue library, this tzedakah mission takes a detour to the mysterious land of Mashal. That’s where Goldilocks and Baby Bear happen to be working on some good deeds of their own! The kids end up on a tzedakah adventure, offering help to other fairy tale characters along the way.

Micah – Maxwell Glick
Miri - Arianna Fox
Jacob - Cara Cabal Coniglio
Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
Golem - Pat Bordenave
Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
Goldilocks - Maya Aoki Tuttle
Baby Bear - Rich Wentworth

Jack Be Nimble: A Hanukkah Story Nov 14, 2021

Show notes

Miri, Micah, and their two friends thought they were headed to the synagogue library to help Auntie PJ prepare for Hanukkah. Instead, they’re swept into a surprise holiday journey, mystically transported to the land of Mashal. They arrive to discover the annual Festival of Lights is in jeopardy. Jack, the high-jumping star of the show, is too afraid to do his big Hanukkiah stunt. Jack may be nimble, but he’ll need serious help from the kids if he’s also going to be brave.