NEED TO KNOW<\/h3>\n\n- \n\n
On May 22, Whitney Leavitt attended the Broadway Breakout Brunch in New York City<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
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During the event, she spoke to PEOPLE about the hardest part of starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago<\/em> on Broadway<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n- \n\n
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<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Whitney Leavitt<\/a> first found fame through Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives<\/em><\/a> and later expanded her audience with Dancing with the Stars<\/em>, but this year she stepped into an entirely new world: Broadway.<\/p>\nIn February 2026, Leavitt made her Broadway debut<\/a> as Roxie Hart in Chicago<\/em> 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.”<\/p>\n\u201cI’d never done something where you’re doing it over and over and over again like that,\u201d Leavitt tells PEOPLE exclusively. \u201cSo it’s like I needed to find ways to continue to be excited.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\nWhitney Leavitt in ‘Chicago.’
Credit: Andrew H. Walker\/Shutterstock<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
According to the 33-year-old actress, joining Chicago<\/em> meant fully embracing the rhythm of Broadway, where performers balance multiple shows a week while keeping each performance feeling fresh.<\/p>\nThe 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
The Broadway role also brought Leavitt back to something she loved long before reality TV.<\/p>\n
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.<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cI 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,\u201d she explains. \u201cI couldn’t even tell you anything about the performance, but I remember what I wore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n![\"Whitney](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/55188A35AC54670799D30F417684EDC3D5A0417DDC8FBCAA677F372D2B9ECB65\/subgraphmysterio\/resizefit_w960_h640;quality_80;format_webp\/https:%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Faol_people_articles_471%2F99aa3bbc494eb9728aa8a600ef7eb178\"\/)
<\/div>\nWhitney Leavitt in ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.’
Credit: Disney\/Fred Hayes<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for <\/strong>PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/strong><\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\nLeavitt’s run on Broadway came to an end on May 3, but she revealed another major shift in her career<\/a>.<\/p>\nDuring a May 15 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show<\/em>, the reality star shared that she plans to leave <\/a>The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives<\/em><\/a> after the Hulu series’ fifth season.<\/p>\n\u201cIt’s been about four years of my life,\u201d Leavitt told host Kelly Clarkson, 44.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time I left, it wasn’t with gratitude,\u201d she continued. \u201cBut 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
On May 22, Whitney Leavitt attended the Broadway Breakout Brunch in New York City<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n
During the event, she spoke to PEOPLE about the hardest part of starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago<\/em> on Broadway<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n 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<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Whitney Leavitt<\/a> first found fame through Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives<\/em><\/a> and later expanded her audience with Dancing with the Stars<\/em>, but this year she stepped into an entirely new world: Broadway.<\/p>\n In February 2026, Leavitt made her Broadway debut<\/a> as Roxie Hart in Chicago<\/em> 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.”<\/p>\n \u201cI’d never done something where you’re doing it over and over and over again like that,\u201d Leavitt tells PEOPLE exclusively. \u201cSo it’s like I needed to find ways to continue to be excited.\u201d<\/p>\n Whitney Leavitt in ‘Chicago.’ According to the 33-year-old actress, joining Chicago<\/em> meant fully embracing the rhythm of Broadway, where performers balance multiple shows a week while keeping each performance feeling fresh.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n “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.<\/p>\n The Broadway role also brought Leavitt back to something she loved long before reality TV.<\/p>\n 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.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI 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,\u201d she explains. \u201cI couldn’t even tell you anything about the performance, but I remember what I wore.\u201d<\/p>\n Whitney Leavitt in ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.’ Never miss a story \u2014 sign up for <\/strong>PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter<\/strong><\/a> to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer\u200b\u200b, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n Leavitt’s run on Broadway came to an end on May 3, but she revealed another major shift in her career<\/a>.<\/p>\n During a May 15 appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show<\/em>, the reality star shared that she plans to leave <\/a>The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives<\/em><\/a> after the Hulu series’ fifth season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s been about four years of my life,\u201d Leavitt told host Kelly Clarkson, 44.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery time I left, it wasn’t with gratitude,\u201d she continued. \u201cBut 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Credit: Andrew H. Walker\/Shutterstock<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>
Credit: Disney\/Fred Hayes<\/i><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n