‘Sunday in the Park With George’ London Revival Canceled After Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey Exit
The planned London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park With George has been canceled after original stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey both withdrew from the production.
The musical had been scheduled to open at London’s Barbican Centre in 2027, but producers Empire Street Productions confirmed Sept. 14 that the production will no longer go ahead as planned.
The producers have not abandoned the project entirely. Empire Street said it will retain the rights and is looking at bringing the production to London in 2028.
Why was the Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey show canceled?
Grande and Bailey were originally set to headline the revival, creating significant interest because the pair had already become closely associated with Wicked.
Grande was due to play Dot and Marie, while Bailey was cast as George Seurat, the fictionalized French artist at the center of the musical.
The production was announced in January, with Marianna Elliott directing. It was intended to give fans a rare opportunity to see the Wicked co-stars perform together on stage.
That plan changed when Grande announced that she would step back from the production after the conclusion of her Eternal Sunshine tour.
Grande said she was stepping back from public visibility amid ongoing scrutiny surrounding her health and body. Her withdrawal was followed by Bailey’s decision to leave the production earlier in September.
After Bailey’s departure, producers had said the show was being reshaped and that casting discussions were underway.
Fans had therefore expected that new actors could replace the two stars and allow the London production to continue.
Instead, Empire Street has now postponed the project entirely.
Producers are targeting 2028
In a statement, Empire Street Productions confirmed that the planned 2027 Barbican production will not proceed as scheduled.
The company said it will keep the rights to the musical and intends to explore presenting the production in 2028, although no new cast or specific dates have been announced.
That means the cancellation does not necessarily mark the end of the planned London revival.
For now, however, there is no confirmed 2027 run.
Grande and Bailey were expected to drive huge demand
The revival attracted attention well before tickets went on sale because of the two Wicked stars.
Grande and Bailey had both appeared in the Wicked film franchise, making the London stage project particularly appealing to fans of the movies.
Producers had anticipated strong demand for tickets. The planned May 2026 ticket launch was pushed back to September, timed to coincide with the end of Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour.
Grande’s subsequent withdrawal changed those plans, and Bailey later followed.
By the time Bailey left, auditions for replacement performers had already been taking place during the summer.
His departure had initially suggested that producers might replace both leads rather than cancel the revival. Bailey himself expressed support for seeing new performers take over the roles.
The latest decision means audiences will have to wait longer for the musical’s return to London.
What is ‘Sunday in the Park With George’ about?
Sunday in the Park With George is one of Sondheim’s best-known musicals.
The story centers on an imagined version of French painter Georges Seurat as he works on his famous painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.
Dot, his muse and lover, is closely connected to the story and the creation of the painting.
The musical features music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine.
It premiered off-Broadway in 1983 before moving to Broadway in 1984.
When was the last major Broadway revival?
The musical’s most recent major Broadway revival opened in 2017, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.
That production had also been expected to transfer to London, but the planned move never happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new London revival therefore represented another opportunity to bring Sondheim’s work to British audiences, this time with Grande and Bailey as its headline stars.
With the 2027 production now canceled, the next potential opportunity will be the producers’ proposed 2028 revival.
No replacement cast has yet been announced.
What happens next?
Empire Street Productions is retaining the rights and has indicated that it wants to present Sunday in the Park With George in London in 2028.
The company has not yet announced the new performers, production dates or ticket-sale schedule.
For fans who were expecting to see Grande and Bailey together on the Barbican stage, the original version of the revival is now off the calendar. Any future 2028 production would represent a reshaped version of the project.
Fast Facts
- Musical: Sunday in the Park With George
- Original London plan: 2027
- Venue: Barbican Centre
- Original stars: Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey
- Grande’s roles: Dot and Marie
- Bailey’s role: George Seurat
- Director: Marianna Elliott
- New target: 2028
- Music and lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
- Book: James Lapine
- Last major Broadway revival: 2017, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford
FAQs
Why was the London revival of ‘Sunday in the Park With George’ canceled?
The planned 2027 production was canceled after original stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey both withdrew from the project.
Will ‘Sunday in the Park With George’ still come to London?
Possibly. Producers said they intend to present the production in 2028, but no new cast or dates have been confirmed.
Was Ariana Grande going to star in ‘Sunday in the Park With George’?
Yes. Grande was scheduled to play Dot and Marie in the planned London revival.
Was Jonathan Bailey going to star with Ariana Grande?
Yes. Bailey was scheduled to play George Seurat opposite Grande.
When was the last major Broadway revival?
The last major Broadway revival opened in 2017 and starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.
