Chicago’s run at the Ambassador Theatre picked up fresh attention this week after Reece Weaver, whose profile rose on the Netflix series America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, stepped into the role of Roxie Hart. Fans who followed Weaver’s television arc turned out for opening night, and clips shared online captured sustained applause as she took her bow.
The Story in Pictures
Audience members and those waiting at the stage door said Weaver’s presence introduced new faces to a long-running title. "The audience loved her," said Sealy Sikes, who attended with her mother. Sikes added, "She did a great job, she's a very big, charismatic actor," while also noting the performance felt "a little bit shaky at the beginning" for a first night.
Weaver marked the casting on social media, calling it one of her "biggest dreams as a performer" and posting, "I cannot believe this dream has come to fruition," in a TikTok clip that has been viewed more than six million times. The production announced her engagement will run for six weeks, through 18 October, a fixed window that gives producers time to assess both ticket demand and critical reaction.
The decision to book a high-profile performer revived a larger industry debate about stunt casting, the practice of hiring recognizable names to lift sales. Theatre critic and content creator Mickey-Jo Boucher said such casting can be necessary "to interest ticket buyers" when a show needs a commercial lift, but warned it should not undermine the quality of a production or take roles away from trained theatre actors.
Producers across Broadway have leaned on celebrity engagements this year, with recent high-profile examples including Megan Thee Stallion’s run in Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Supporters of celebrity casting argue it helps long-running shows sustain audience numbers and keeps more people employed within a production, while critics say short-term stunts risk shifting attention from stagecraft to spectacle.
Weaver’s run will give the Ambassador several weeks of data on whether her casting converts streaming visibility into sustained box-office momentum, and whether that commercial boost outweighs the artistic questions the booking has raised. The production and its audience will provide the next measure of whether celebrity casting can refresh an established title without diluting its theatrical integrity.
