The Stage Rightside with James Whiteside

In this episode of  The Stage Rightside , James sits down with longtime friend and manager Garen Scribner  for a candid conversation about life after dancing, career pivots, and what it really takes to build a sustainable creative life. Garen shares his path from the stage to management and producing—through graduate school at Harvard, rejection, reinvention, and ultimately founding a practice bui...

In this episode, I read my latest Substack essay aloud and share some of the DMs it sparked—thoughtful, funny, and occasionally surprising. I also talk about the feedback I just received from my literary agent on my new book and what it’s like to sit with notes, doubt, and excitement all at once. A behind-the-scenes look at the writing life, the reader response, and the messy middle of making some...

This week on  The Stage Rightside , James checks in from rehearsal season—with a purring cat, a recovering back spasm, and plenty of opinions. As ABT prepares for tour with Christopher Wheeldon’s  The Winter’s Tale , he reflects on jealousy, insecurity, and how most Shakespearean disasters could be solved with better communication. Along the way: unhinged New York subway behavior, thoughts on the...

In this episode, I talk with my dear friend and fellow dancer Cassandra Trenary about what it means to leave a dream — not because it’s broken, but because you’ve outgrown it. Cassie shares why she chose to leave her life as a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre to join the Vienna State Opera, what it felt like to step into the unknown, and how injury, heartbreak, and stillness became the...

James talks about his upstate writer's retreat and why Avatar needs a gay focus group. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James wishes Stage Rightside listeners a Happy New Year, tells tales of his Christmas, and reads a brand new kids' story called "Johnny Newcastle". Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James does a post-show Nutcracker download with ABT Principal ballerina Isabella Boylston and reads his very first essay for Substack. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James talks about Met Season with ABT, Vail Dance Festival, and staging his ballet "New American Romance" in Mexico City. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James talks to ABT Principal dancer Cassandra Trenary about their performance of Giselle at the Metropolitan Opera House and her decision to leave ABT to join Vienna State Opera. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James talks to ABT Principal Dancer Catherine Hurlin before and after their performance of Swan Lake at the Metropolitan Opera House. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this special episode, James recaps the Spring touring season, accompanied by costume designers Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James talks about his early years in dance, his training, and his first years as an apprentice in a big ballet company. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James and Reid talk about ballet costumes; faves, mishaps, and least faves! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats about which female roles he'd want to dance, what he did on his layoff from ABT, and why straight men at the gym annoy him. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats about Tr*mp's Kennedy Center, the WAP en pointe, and drunk gay people. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James talks about a typical rehearsal day, what he eats, and... poop in the tiles?!?! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats with himself about Smile 2, Rose Gray, and being a gay gay gay person who only plays straight people. Big wahhhh! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James and Reid talk noodles, circle j*rks, Beyonce, and Alien Romulus. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Michael returns for the first episode of 2025! We chat about Sasha DeSola, resolutions, Darci Kistler's beautiful penche, Unity Phelan, the Nutcracker, and more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats with Michael about becoming a repetiteur (someone who teaches ballets from scratch), retiring from Miami City Ballet, and their early days together in Boston Ballet circa 1904. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats with ABT Soloist Jake Roxander about being in a family of ballet dancers, heightism in dance, and his dream roles. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats with ABT's newest Principal Dancer, Chloe Misseldine, about her ascent, her dream roles, and who she would kiss, marry, or kill. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats with retiring ABT corps de ballet members Alex Basmagy, Kiely Groenewegen, and Lauren Post about their careers and what they're doing once they hang up their pointe shoes. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats with ABT Principal Dancer Thomas Forster about his training, dealing with rejection, and reality TV. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

James chats with ABT Principal Dancer Skylar Brandt about the Summer Season, why Swan Lake is her nemesis, and reviews. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy