London Musical Cancelled After Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey Pull Out

The planned London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George” has been cancelled after its two headline stars, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey, withdrew from the production.

The musical was scheduled to open at the Barbican Centre in London in summer 2027, with Grande and Bailey set to reunite following their appearance together in the Wicked films. Grande was due to play Dot, while Bailey was cast as George.

Grande announced her withdrawal in August, saying she wanted to take a break from public-facing work after completing her Eternal Sunshine tour. Her representative said the singer wanted to step back from visibility following what was described as “endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”

At the time, producers said the production would continue and that Grande’s role would be recast. Bailey initially remained attached to the project, but he subsequently announced his own departure from the musical in September.

With both leading actors no longer involved, producers have now decided not to proceed with the planned 2027 production. Reports said the production company, Empire Street Productions, will retain the rights and hopes to potentially stage the musical at a later date, with 2028 being considered.

The cancellation marks a major setback for what had been one of the most anticipated London theatre projects. The production was to be directed by Marianne Elliott, with the involvement of the Barbican and Empire Street Productions.

“Sunday in the Park With George” features music and lyrics by the late Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine. The musical, which premiered on Broadway in 1984, was inspired by French painter Georges Seurat and his famous pointillist work A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1985.

The project had attracted considerable attention because of Grande and Bailey’s reunion after their roles as Glinda and Fiyero in the Wicked films. Their departures ultimately forced producers to reconsider whether to proceed with the revival without its originally announced stars.

For now, the London staging has been shelved, although producers have left open the possibility of bringing the production back in 2028.