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On May 22, Whitney Leavitt attended the Broadway Breakout Brunch in New York City
During the event, she spoke to PEOPLE about the hardest part of starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway
The 33-year-old actress also reflected on her childhood theater days and shared why performing for a live audience became her favorite part of the experience
Whitney Leavitt first found fame through Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and later expanded her audience with Dancing with the Stars, but this year she stepped into an entirely new world: Broadway.
In February 2026, Leavitt made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago at New York’s Ambassador Theatre, taking on one of musical theater’s most iconic roles. Looking back at her time on stage during a Broadway Breakout Brunch on May 22, Leavitt admits adjusting to the nonstop schedule of live theater was one of the “hardest parts.”
“I’d never done something where you’re doing it over and over and over again like that,” Leavitt tells PEOPLE exclusively. “So it’s like I needed to find ways to continue to be excited.”
Whitney Leavitt in ‘Chicago.’
Credit: Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock
According to the 33-year-old actress, joining Chicago meant fully embracing the rhythm of Broadway, where performers balance multiple shows a week while keeping each performance feeling fresh.
The legendary musical, which first opened on Broadway in 1975 and remains one of the longest-running shows in theater history, follows Roxie Hart as she chases fame after becoming caught up in a murder scandal in 1920s Chicago.
Leavitt originally signed on for a limited engagement, but her run was extended into May as interest in her casting continued to grow. While the packed schedule was a new experience, Leavitt says the connection with the crowd quickly became her favorite part of being onstage each night.
“I think the best part… there’s nothing quite like a live audience and feeling that energy was the best part for me,” she says.
The Broadway role also brought Leavitt back to something she loved long before reality TV.
Growing up in Utah, she participated in theater productions as a kid and still remembers the details of her very first play, The Wizard of Oz.
“I played the Lion. All I remember is the amount of makeup my mom put on me and I had this costume that was like homemade, put it around my face and it’s like, I remember it being itchy because of the Velcro,” she explains. “I couldn’t even tell you anything about the performance, but I remember what I wore.”
Whitney Leavitt in ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.’
Credit: Disney/Fred Hayes
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Leavitt’s run on Broadway came to an end on May 3, but she revealed another major shift in her career.
During a May 15 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the reality star shared that she plans to leave The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives after the Hulu series’ fifth season.
“It’s been about four years of my life,” Leavitt told host Kelly Clarkson, 44.
“Every time I left, it wasn’t with gratitude,” she continued. “But this time it is. It just feels like a chapter that’s closing in my life. My cup is full, and it just feels like it’s time. So I’m excited.”
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