Front Row with James Whiteside

Unsurprisingly, Ari is a fantastic interview. He tells me about his very first book, as well as hilarious listener hate mail, and whether he’ll ever do television journalism in this very fabulous episode of Front Row, with my friend Ari Shapiro. Thank you for listening! And enjoy!

Ari Shapiro is known for many things. He is a longtime host of NPR’s “All Things Considered”, a Yale graduate, a guest performer with Pink Martini, the band that bridges the gaps between jazz, classical, and pop, and if that wasn’t enough, Ari tours as a cabaret performer with Alan Cumming in their original show, “Och and Oy”. Ari’s first book, The Best Strangers In The World, out March 21st 2023, takes us around the globe to reveal the stories behind narratives that are sometimes heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking, but always poignant.

In this episode of Front Row, I chat with Dree about her work in film, including a new movie with Uma Thurman, whether or not she’d work on a Marvel film, and her time strutting down the runway. We chat about the funny way we met, on a scavenger hunt in Venice and we even talk about her time as a student at the School of American Ballet here in New York City.

Dree Hemingway is an American model and actor. Her first lead in a feature length film in 2012’s “Starlet” landed her and the ensemble cast a Robert Altman Award at the Independent Spirit Awards. She appears predominantly in independent films and models for fashion giants when she’s not making films. Dree has walked and modeled for Givenchy, Calvin Klein, Thom Browne, Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel, Gucci, Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier, and more. She has appeared in print many times for Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, V Magazine, W Magazine, Numero, and iD, to name a few. She is the daughter of actress Mariel Hemingway and the great granddaughter of famed author Ernest Hemingway.

This episode is fantastic, if I do say so myself. Chris is open and honest and frankly, very easy to talk to. I’m a huge fan of his work and we chat about much of it in this episode. From his time as a dancer, then as a ballet choreographer, and now as a broadway director and choreographer. I ask him some pretty tough questions about his newest show, MJ the musical, so take a seat and hang out for a bit, in the front row.

Christopher Wheeldon is a world-renowned choreographer of contemporary ballet. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 for “promoting the interests and reputation of British classical and theatrical dance worldwide” Christopher is the winner of not one, but two Tony awards for best choreography for the broadway shows “An American In Paris” and “MJ: The Musical”. Other notable works include the ballets “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, “Polyphonia”, “The Winter’s Tale”, and many more. He is also the recipient of an Olivier Award.

Prepare to be charmed by Laura Kim. She and I talk about everything from her favorite Korean restaurant in New York City, to the working culture of fashion, and the steps needed to start your very own fashion house. If you’ve ever wondered what to wear…then I think you’re gonna like this interview with the talented and exceedingly fabulous Laura Kim.

Laura Kim is a creative director of Oscar de la Renta alongside Fernando Garcia. The design directors first met at the premier fashion label in 2009 and continue to shape the industry. Kim graduated with a BFA from Pratt in 2004, and had worked at the New York-based house from 2003, eventually serving as design director. In May 2015 the duo launched Monse. Today, the brand is stocked at a number of high-profile boutiques and department stores worldwide, including Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-Porter, Selfridges, Lane Crawford and Moda Operandi. 

Misty isn’t just a world renowned ballet dancer and entrepreneur, she is my colleague and my friend. I’ve had the great opportunity to work with her on the daily basis, so this interview feels more like a conversation between friends than a structured question and answer. I know you’re going to love hearing Misty talk about her life as a star ballerina, an author, and a businesswoman. She is an inspiration to me and countless others, who feel underrepresented or misunderstood in the world of classical ballet. We might even talk about her return to the stage after the birth of her son, Jackson. So have a seat and stick around. You’re in the Front Row.

Misty Copeland is the first African American female principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. She is a New York Times bestselling author, a Broadway star, a recurring judge on So You Think You Can Dance, and one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. She has endorsed brands such as LG Signature, Under Armour, Seiko, and more. Misty is currently working on launching her own athletic wear company called Greatness Wins. 

Laura Brown is the former editor in chief of InStyle magazine as well as the Features/Special Projects and executive director of Harper's Bazaar magazine. She has been responsible for award winning covers for both magazines as well as the popular InStyle podcast, “Ladies First with Laura Brown”. She has also appeared as a featured judge on Bravo’s hit series, “The Fashion Show”.

I love Laura’s honesty in this interview. She’s really not sugar coating her thoughts and opinions on fashion. We talk about InStyle Magazine going digital, her favorite covers, including the award winning Rihanna cover, and what she’s got up her sleeve since her departure from print fashion magazines. Laura explores her options as a true fashion entrepreneur, here in the Front Row.

Rozzi’s vibe is infectious. With her new album, Berry (Deluxe), Rozzi knows who she is and what she wants from the music industry. In this interview, she tells me about her early days on tour with Adam Levine and Maroon 5, she sings some Aretha Franklin hits for me, and we talk about one of her most popular songs, “The Best Friend Song”, and how another artist maybe stole her thunder. I’m so lucky to call this amazing artist my friend. Please welcome Rozzi to the Front Row.

Rozzi is an American neo-soul singer/songwriter who burst on the music scene after being discovered and signed by Maroon 5 frontman, Adam Levine. Soon after she was touring the country with Maroon 5 and honing her craft on-stage. In 2018, Rozzi released her debut album, “Bad Together” and her EPs “Hymn for Tomorrow” and “Berry” in 2021 and 2022. Her music has been featured on Apple’s “The Morning Show” and will soon be a part of a new Netflix film starring Kevin Hart. Berry (Deluxe) is out now.

Host: James Whiteside @jamesbwhiteside

Guest: Rozzi @thisisrozzi

Produced by: RedCircle @getredcircle

Edited by: Nate Gwatney @nateleeg

Art by: Javier Rivets @rivets_art

Theme: "A-Flat" by Black Violin @blackviolin

I love the energy that Anthony brings to this interview. We talk about his days as a backup singer for Michael Jackson, his critically acclaimed show with Justin Vivian Bond, and he even sings a bit of the Gershwin brothers’ “The Man I Love”. Not only am I a huge fan of Anthony, but he gives a great interview, here in the Front Row.

Anthony Roth Costanzo is a grammy award winning countertenor who has led opera companies around the world. He has performed on Broadway, done backup for Michael Jackson, and performed alongside Luciano Pavarotti. Anthony is a graduate of Princeton, where he returns regularly to teach, as well as the Manhattan School of Music. He is a champion of new works and has collaborated with countless artists, most recently on the show “Only an Octave Apart” with NYC cabaret legend Justin Vivian Bond. 

Host: James Whiteside @jamesbwhiteside

Guest: Anthony Roth Costanzo @arcostanzo

Produced by: RedCircle @getredcircle

Edited by: Nate Gwatney @nateleeg

Art by: Javier Rivets @rivets_art

Theme: "A-Flat" by Black Violin @blackviolin

In this episode, Alicia tells me about her incredible professional trajectory; from being a young dance student, fighting an auto-immune disease, to attending Columbia University and ultimately going back to the world of dance to be a star in multiple dance companies, touring the world. And finally, what she had to go through to secure her position as Director of Dance at Juilliard. Alicia is someone who takes the bull by the horns and doesn’t let an opportunity go unexplored, all with heart and grace.

Alicia Graf Mack is the director of the dance division at the Juilliard School. She has enjoyed a long career of professional dancing as a lead dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and as a principal dancer with Dance Theater of Harlem. She’s danced for Alicia Keys, Andre 3000, John Legend and Beyonce. Alicia graduated magna cum laude with honors in history from Columbia University and she is a recipient of the Columbia University Medal of Excellence. She began her inaugural season as director of the Juilliard Dance Division in the fall of 2018. She is the first woman of color and youngest person to hold this position.

Host: James Whiteside @jamesbwhiteside

Guest: Alicia Graf Mack @aliciagrafmack

Produced by: RedCircle @getredcircle

Edited by: Nate Gwatney @nateleeg

Art by: Javier Rivets @rivets_art

Theme: "A-Flat" by Black Violin @blackviolin

In this episode of Front Row, we find out from Jim Luigs what it means to stumble into a career in design and how that business is structured. We also learn about Jim’s work in theater with Disney and the late musical theatre star Barbara Cook. Jim Luigs is a creative force that brings humor, wisdom, and beauty to all he does…and wait till you hear his soothing and rich baritone!

Host: James Whiteside @jamesbwhiteside

Guest: Jim Luigs @jimluigsdesigns

Produced by: RedCircle @getredcircle

Edited by: Nate Gwatney @nateleeg

Art by: Javier Rivets @rivets_art

Theme: "A-Flat" by Black Violin @blackviolin