Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas are headed back onstage together in Chicago. Ballas is set to begin his run as Billy Flynn on April 6, 2026, and will reunite with Leavitt, who made her Broadway debut Feb. 2, 2026, as Roxie Hart.
The pairing brings together two performers whose earlier connection on Dancing with the Stars clearly carried over. Leavitt said they connected right away and that they have only had a couple of chances to rehearse together because her performance schedule has been demanding, even as opening night draws near.
The production has already had a strong run with Leavitt at the center. Chicago has posted its highest weekly ticket sales in the show's 29-year history during her time in the role, and her run has now been extended twice, a sign that audiences have responded quickly to the casting.
Leavitt said the last two months have felt overwhelming, but in a good way. She pointed to her husband, her family and her really close personal friends as the people who keep her grounded, saying she keeps her circles small. That private support system has mattered while she has been balancing a Broadway debut and attention from the stage and beyond.
Ballas said the reunion should come naturally because their working rhythm is already established. He said they have a very similar sense of humor, like the same things and throw themselves 100% into what they do, adding that their synergy and the way they work together are already in place. Leavitt and Ballas first connected right away during the 2016 competition and now are bringing that same dynamic to Chicago as the show heads into another high-profile stretch.
For Chicago, the next step is clear: Ballas joins a production that has already found a larger audience with Leavitt in the cast, and the question now is how much further the run can build once the reunited duo is onstage together.
