Weather 
Whitney Leavitt made a special appearance at The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee this week. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and Dancing With the Stars alum was a “guest speller” at the Off-Broadway musical on her night off from Chicago on Broadway.
Watch a video from her appearance below, where she was tasked with spelling “intolerant.”
Leavitt, who has already extended her run as “Roxie Hart” through April 5, 2026, will now extend to May 3, 2026. Leavitt joined Chicago on February 2, 2026 and has broken box office records at the Ambassador Theatre and garnered audience and critical acclaim.
Mark Ballas (Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots) will return to Broadway as everyone’s favorite lawyer “Billy Flynn,” reuniting the duo after they competed together on Dancing With the Stars.
About Whitney Leavitt
Whitney Leavitt is an actress and performer, and one of the breakout stars of Hulu’s hit series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” She was most recently seen competing on Season 34 of ’s “Dancing with the Stars” and can soon be seen starring in the film All for Love, which she also executive produced. Chicago marks Leavitt’s Broadway debut. A lifelong dancer, Leavitt earned a BFA in Dance from Brigham Young University and later rediscovered her passion during “Dancing with the Stars.”
Currently starring in the cast are Grammy Nominee & SAG Award winner Kevin McHale (“Glee”), in his New York stage debut as William Barfée, Tony Award nominee Jasmine Amy Rogers (BOOP!) as Olive Ostrovsky, Grammy & Tony Award Nominee Justin Cooley (Kimberly Akimbo) as Leaf Coneybear, Philippe Arroyo (& Juliet) as Chip Tolentino, Autumn Best (Netflix’s Woman of the Hour; The CW’s 4400) as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Leana Rae Concepcion (Merrily We Roll Along) as Marcy Park, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper (Spring Awakening, Tootsie, POTUS) as Rona Lisa Peretti Jason Kravits (The Drowsy Chaperone, Sly Fox) as Vice Principal Douglas Panch, and Matt Manuel (Ain’t Too Proud) as Mitch Mahoney. Rounding out the cast as understudies are Brandon L. Armstrong, Jahbril Cook, Emily Nicole Rudolph, and Cecilia Snow.
Featuring a Tony Award-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin (Striking 12, Sleeping Beauty Wakes) and a vibrant score by Tony Award winner William Finn (Falsettos, A New Brain), this new production of the musical is directed & choreographed by Danny Mefford (Kimberly Akimbo, Dear Evan Hansen). Previews began on November 7, 2025, and Opening Night was celebrated on November 17, 2025. The limited engagement previously extended through April 12.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is a fast-paced and funny D-E-L-I-G-H-T. As six wonderfully unique and impassioned contestants vie for the championship by spelling their way through vexing vocabulary, hilarious and poignant personal stories unfold…along with a dash of riotous audience participation. Declared by The New York Times as an “irresistible musical” that is “refreshingly handcrafted, effortlessly endearing, and riotously funny,” The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee delivers an unforgettable experience that is sure to leave audiences spellbound.
Six spellers enter, but only one can win The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee! This charmingly witty and touching musical has entertained audiences across the world since its Tony–winning Broadway debut in 2005. It now returns to New York in a special 20th Anniversary production that celebrates the singular heart, humor, and verve that cemented its place in the musical theater canon.
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee was conceived by Rebecca Feldman with Additional Material by Jay Reiss and is based on “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E,” an original play by The Farm. First developed at Barrington Stage Company, the show debuted Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater in 2005 – earning widespread critical acclaim and winning the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding New Musical. The show immediately transferred to Broadway’s Circle in The Square Theatre, where it won two Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards, and enjoyed a hugely successful run of nearly three years.
