Whitney Leavitt has stirred up plenty of headlines on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, but nothing she’s done online compares to the leap she’s about to make: a full-on Broadway debut in Chicago. She’s trading ring lights for footlights, stepping into a world where an algorithm can’t boost you, a filter can’t fix you, and there’s no “take two” when the spotlight hits. It’s just Whitney, a live audience, and the pressure-cooker magic of proving she can transform reality-TV buzz into bona fide stage presence as Roxie Hart.
From February 2 through March 15, the Ambassador Theatre becomes her proving ground — forty-two nights to show New York she’s not just a social-media storyline but a performer with real chops. And if Secret Lives of Mormon Wives taught us anything, it’s that Whitney Leavitt never shies away from the spotlight… she charges straight into it.
A Reality Star Who Didn’t Stay in Her Lane
Whitney Leavitt didn’t enter the public eye through a traditional Hollywood pipeline. She didn’t come from a conservatory or pay her dues on regional stages. She filmed TikToks in her kitchen, built an enormous following, then let Secret Lives of Mormon Wives pull back the curtain on everything messy, loud, and complicated in her world. People loved her, hated her, loved to hate her, argued about her, and followed her regardless of their feelings about her.
Somehow, that chaotic beginning to fame became a launch pad to bigger, brighter ventures. Broadway producers watching from a distance saw something they could work with. Not polish, but potential. Whitney Leavitt has a spark and a willingness to go for gold when the moment calls for it.
Whitney Leavitt and Her Life-Changing ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Moment
Entertainment Weekly and People have pointed to a moment months before any Broadway deal. Whitney Leavitt performed an Argentine tango on Dancing with the Stars to “Cell Block Tango,” one of Chicago’s signature numbers.
Something clicked that night. She wasn’t thinking about Broadway. She was thinking about not tripping on national television. However, the performance had bite and confidence that didn’t look coached. Viewers loved it, producers picked it up, and the clip circulated long after the episode aired.
When the news dropped that she had been cast as Roxie Hart for a limited run, it suddenly made sense. She had already given them a preview of her skills.
Roxie Hart Isn’t a “Try and See” Kind of Role
Plenty of celebrities join Broadway musicals for a few nights of photo ops. However, Whitney Leavitt didn’t choose a lesser role. Roxie Hart is in the center of Chicago. She sings opening monologues, anchors the story, and has a sense of humor, ego, desperation, and charm that drives the plot.
Broadway fans can be brutal when they smell stunt casting, and they won’t care how many followers Whitney Leavitt has. They care about whether she can survive an iconic show that demands timing, stamina, and an attitude to captivate an entire theater audience.
Luckily, Leavitt knows all about criticism and pressure. And unlike many reality stars, she has dance and performance background to help her meet the moment. According to Deadline, producers didn’t hand her the role for headlines. She’s been put through rigorous workshopping, coaching, and private auditions to earn her turn.
A Six-Week Window That Could Rewrite Her Public Image
February through mid-March is enough time for either a full transformation or a complete unraveling. Broadway expects consistency, and that’s commonly a challenge for reality television stars like Whitney Leavitt.
If she nails Roxie, her public image will shift dramatically. She’s no longer the “mom influencer who stirred up drama” or “that villainous woman from Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” She becomes a performer who took one of the hardest roles on Broadway and made it her own. And if she falters? New York and the interwebs will never let her live it down.