‘Sunday in the Park With George’ Revival Scrapped After Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey Exit
The London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park With George has been scrapped after Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey both exited the production.
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“The planned 2027 production of Sunday in the Park With George at the Barbican will no longer proceed as scheduled,” said producers Empire Street Productions in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter on Monday. But the team does retain the rights to the show, and Empire Street is looking to present the production in 2028, they added.
Wicked co-stars Grande and Bailey had the theater world abuzz when they confirmed the revival would take place with director Marianna Elliott at the helm next summer. But things started to go wrong when Grande pulled out as part of her larger decision to “step back from visibility” following the end of her recent tour, amid public scrutiny over her health and body. THR reported at the time that this came as a surprise to some members of production.
“Following this evening’s announcement from Ariana Grande’s team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday in the Park With George,” Empire Street Productions shared in a statement upon her exit. “We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support.”
Then, just earlier this month, Bailey also withdrew. “Ari is one of my dearest friends, and my support for her is unwavering. Marianne is extraordinary and one of my longest collaborators and friends,” the Jurassic World Rebirth star said in a statement on social media. “After much consideration, I have decided to also step back from Sunday in the Park with George.”
After Bailey’s exit, Empire Street said the show was being “reshaped” and casting discussions “were actively underway.” The ticket on-sale dates for Sunday in the Park With George were pushed back twice, having originally been scheduled for May 2026, then delayed to summer 2026.
The 1984 musical features music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by James Lapine. Bailey was to play the fictionalized version of French painter Georges Seurat as he creates A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, with Dot (Grande), his muse and lover, posing for the painting.
The last major revival of the musical occurred on Broadway in 2017, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford. The production was announced to transfer to London, but never crossed the pond due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
