Rumer Willis struggling with her dance routines for Broadway 'Chicago' debut

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The 26-year-old daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore is set to make her debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago on August 18
Rumer was overwhelmed with the amount of material she was supposed to retain in a short time, show insiders say
Instead of staying in New York City for extended rehearsals, she flew home to Los Angeles
She was seen in LA with a boot on her foot and tweeted 'Hey guys because of my foot injury I have to take a few days off'
She mentioned the DWTS Live Tour but no mention of her Broadway debut
Brandy Norwood, currently appearing in the role, has been asked to stand by and extend her run in case Rumer can't cut it in time

Published: 11:07 EST, 3 August 2015 | Updated: 02:12 EST, 4 August 2015

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It's a tense time for the creative team behind the award-winning Broadway musical Chicago - rehearsals with Rumer Willis have not gone well.

The 26-year-old daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore is set to make her Broadway debut when she takes over the role of Roxie Hart in the long-running Broadway musical Chicago starting in mid-August.

Sources close to the show tell Daily Mail Online that the reigning Dancing with the Stars winner has really struggled with learning lines, musical numbers and choreography for the show.

But instead of staying in New York City for extended rehearsals - she decided to fly home to Los Angeles.

She was seen last Thursday with a boot on her foot and tweeted: 'Hey guys because of my foot injury I have to take a few days off but I'll be back with the #DWTSlivetour on Aug 5th in Charleston.'

She did not mention her Chicago debut.

Fresh off of winning Season 20 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, casting executives thought Rumer Willis would be an ideal choice to follow Grammy-winner Brandy Norwood in the role of Roxie Hart

Injured? Sources close to the show tell Daily Mail Online that the reigning DWTS winner has really struggled with learning the lines and choreography for the show, but instead of staying in New York City for extended rehearsals; she decided to fly home to Los Angeles. She was seen last Thursday with a boot on her foot

'Everyone is panicking. Rumer was really overwhelmed with the complexity of the role and the amount of material she was supposed to retain in a short time.

'If her rehearsals were any indication of things to come, they're not sure she'll be ready for opening night,' a show insider reveals to Daily Mail Online exclusively.

Fresh off of winning Season 20 of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, casting executives thought Willis would be an ideal choice to follow Grammy-winner Brandy Norwood in the role of Roxie Hart.

Norwood, who made her debut on the Great White Way in the role on April 28, was initially scheduled for an eight-week limited engagement and then extended her run through August.

'Producers for the show have asked Brandy would she consider a second extension in case Rumer can't cut it in time. Brandy had strong box office numbers during her run and they can't afford to lose that momentum going into the back to school season if Rumer isn't ready,' the source confided.

Those involved in the production say that Willis seemed 'disconnected from the process' during her practice sessions.

'Instead of embracing the sexiness of the role and embodying the persona of Roxie, she wore sweatpants and a sweatshirt to rehearsals and just couldn't remember much of anything. She was on book the entire time,' the source offered.

After a week of rehearsals, Willis decided to fly back to Los Angeles instead of staying in New York to learn her material. She's scheduled to return to the Big Apple just six days before her stage debut.

Stans-in: Brandy Norwood, who made her debut in the role on April 28, was initially scheduled for an eight-week limited engagement and then extended her run through August. Now she's been asked if she can stay on in the leading role of Roxie Hart just in case things don't work out with Rumer

The reel version: Renee Zellweger starred as Roxie Hart in the 2002 film version of Chicago

Rumer Willis delivers PERFECT performance on DWTS

'It's just not enough time to learn all that she has to learn. Unless she has an acting coach, stage choreographer, voice coach and musical arranger in Hollywood that she's hired on her own to prepare her, this will be a disaster of epic proportions,' the insider exclaimed.

Chicago has a history of booking high-profile celebrities to star in the production.

Among the stars to play the role of Roxie Hart are actress Brooke Shields; singer Ashlee Simpson; Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child; actress Melanie Griffith; and supermodel Christie Brinkley.

Chicago the musical is set in Prohibition-era Chicago and based on a 1926 play by the same name written by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins about real-life criminals and crimes she reported on.

The satirical story on corruption in the administration of criminal justice system and the idea of the 'celebrity criminal,' was adapted into a musical by John Kander, Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse.

The show holds the distinction of being the longest-running musical revival and the longest-running American musical in Broadway history, and is the second longest-running show in Broadway history, behind only The Phantom of the Opera.