The London revival of Sunday In The Park With George has been cancelled after stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey withdrew from the project. Originally set for 2027 at the Barbican, the production will be postponed to 2028. Grande cited a need to step back from public scrutiny following her Eternal Sunshine Tour, while Bailey expressed support for the new actors taking over their roles. The musical, created by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine in 1984, is based on Georges Seurat's painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-14,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The upcoming London revival of Sunday In The Park With George has been cancelled after both Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey dropped out. Initially scheduled for 2027 at the Barbican theater, production company Empire Street Productions announced on Monday that it would not proceed as planned. However, the company retains the rights to present the musical in 2028, with further details to be announced later.
Grande had previously stated her intention to take a break from performing following her Eternal Sunshine Tour, leading to her withdrawal from the production last month. Bailey also withdrew earlier this month but expressed support for director Marianne Elliott and wished the company well. The musical, created by US composer Stephen Sondheim and playwright James Lapine, premiered on Broadway in 1984 and is inspired by French painter Georges Seurat's famous painting "A Sunday Afternoon."
Written for “London Musical Cancellation” on 2026-09-14,
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- Published
The upcoming London revival of Sunday In The Park With George has been cancelled after A-listers Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey dropped out.
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listers → publish → George
The Wicked stars had been due to reunite on stage in the Stephen Sondheim show at the Barbican next year.
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stars → reunite → Barbican
Last month, Grande announced she was pulling out of the musical as part of her decision to take a break from the spotlight after completing her Eternal Sunshine Tour.
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she → announce → Tour
Earlier this month, Bailey also revealed he was withdrawing from the show.
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he → reveal → show
Production company Empire Street Productions initially said it would continue as planned but on Monday announced the musical would no longer be staged in 2027.
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musical → say → 2027
Show may run in 2028
uncertain
Show → run → 2028
A statement from the company said: "The planned 2027 production of Sunday in the Park with George at the Barbican will no longer proceed as scheduled.
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production → say → Barbican
"Empire Street Productions will retain the rights with a view to presenting the production in 2028.
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Productions → retain → 2028
Further details will be announced in due course."
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details → announce → course
US composer Sondheim and playwright James Lapine created the original musical, which debuted on Broadway in 1984.
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which → create → 1984
Sunday in the Park with George was inspired by French painter Georges Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, in which a fictional version of the artist is consumed by his work.
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version → inspire → work
Grande and Bailey played Glinda and Fiyero in the film adaptation of Wicked and its sequel, Wicked: For Good.
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Grande → play → Good
Grande's publicist announced in August that the singer and actress would be "taking a step back from visibility" after her recent tour ended.
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tour → announce → visibility
A representative for the US star told People magazine that she "will be taking a step back from visibility" when the tour ends, after her appearances led to "endless, ongoing public scrutiny".
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appearances → tell → scrutiny
She later told fans at a Chicago concert: "The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing.
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that → tell → concert
It is something that I had decided to plan... quietly, a long time ago."
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I → decide → that
"I heard my fans were worried negativity was ruining things for me but... that could not be more than the opposite.
uncertain
that → hear → opposite
"Boundaries need to be set, human beings do need a break sometimes."
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beings → need → break
When Bailey pulled out of Sunday in the Park with George at the beginning of September, he voiced support for its director Marianne Elliott, external and said: "I so look forward to seeing what the team, and the two actors who will now take on these roles, will create with it," he continued.
"I wish the very best to the entire company.
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I → pull → company
I will be cheering them on as they continue with this production."
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they → cheer → production
Bailey previously collaborated with Elliot on the play Cock and Sondheim's musical Company in the West End.
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Bailey → collaborate → End
