Whitney Leavitt’s ‘Chicago’ Run on Broadway Extended — and Mark Ballas is Joining Her
The dance partnership that captivated Dancing with the Stars Season 34 viewers is getting a second act.
Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas, eliminated during the DWTS semifinals on Nov. 18 after finishing in sixth place, will share the stage in a limited engagement of Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City from April 6 through May 3.
Leavitt will continue her run as Roxie Hart. Ballas will step into the role of Billy Flynn.
From the Ballroom to Broadway
Leavitt announced the news on Instagram March 10.
“This secret was way too hard to keep! The incredible @markballas & I will be performing TOGETHER in @chicagomusical April 6-May3rd! Can’t wait to perform on stage together again,” she wrote.
Leavitt made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago on February 2, 2026.
Her original run was set to end March 15, but high demand led to a first extension through April 5. The latest extension pushes her engagement through May 3, with the final four weeks now featuring Ballas as her co-star.
For fans who watched the pair develop one of Season 34’s most watchable partnerships week after week, that semifinal elimination stung. Many felt their journey ended too soon.
The Broadway reunion gives those viewers something they didn’t expect: a chance to see Whitney and Mark perform together again in a completely different setting.
Ballas Calls It a “Full-Circle Moment”
Ballas, a three-time Mirrorball champion on DWTS, has Broadway experience of his own.
He made his Broadway debut as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys, which closed in January 2017, and later appeared in Kinky Boots in 2018. But the Chicago casting carries personal weight.
Ballas announced the news on Instagram, describing it as a “full-circle moment.”
“One of the first shows I auditioned for after graduating musical theatre college was for the ensemble of Chicago in the West End in London. After many callbacks, and making it to the final call, I didn’t end up booking the gig,” he wrote.
“I was 19 years old, new to the industry, learning how to pay my dues, accept rejection, and be told no. Twenty years later, I’m making my return to Broadway as Billy Flynn. This will now be my 3rd Broadway show that I have had the pleasure to be a part of,” he added.
“Hard work, persistence, dedication to the craft, and relentlessness really do pay off. Thank you to my musical theatre teachers for instilling this in me, and for the years of tough love,” he continued.
Tickets and Details
Chicago is the longest-running American musical in Broadway history. The current revival will celebrate its 30th anniversary this November.
For Whitney and Mark to join that run together, after the way their DWTS partnership ended, gives the engagement a narrative dimension that goes beyond typical casting news.
The limited engagement featuring both Leavitt and Ballas runs April 6 through May 3 at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City. Given that Leavitt’s previous runs were extended due to high demand, the window to grab seats may be narrower than it appears.
For anyone who watched Season 34 and felt that semifinal elimination came too early, this is the rare second chapter: a beloved DWTS partnership picking up in an entirely new spotlight.
Tickets for Chicago are now on sale.
Production of this article included the use of AI. It was reviewed and edited by a team of content specialists.
