Ariana Grande withdraws from 'Sunday in the Park with George' at the Barbican

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Pulitzer Prize–winning musical was inspired by the French pointillist painter Georges Seurat's painter A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

Summary

• Ariana Grande has pulled out of Sunday in the Park with George
• She was due to perform alongside Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey
• The production will be directed by Marianne Elliott

Singer and Wicked star Ariana Grande has pulled out of Marianne Elliott's upcoming production of Sunday in the Park with George, which opens at the Barbican in 2027. She was due to star alongside Jonathan Bailey.

The production confirmed the news in a statement: “Following this evening’s announcement from Ariana Grande’s team, Empire Street Productions can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George.

"We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support. We wish her nothing but the best. The production will open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, and casting will be announced in due course.”

A representative for Grande told People magazine: “Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour. She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.

"This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.”

Grande is completing her Eternal Sunshine tour, which comes to the UK in August, with 10 nights at the O2. Her final London show on 1 September will mark the end of the tour.

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Pulitzer Prize–winning musical was inspired by the French pointillist painter Georges Seurat's painter A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The musical revolves around George, a fictionalised version of Seurat, as he creates his masterpiece, and his great-grandson, as he struggles with creative burnout a century later.

Directed by Tony and Olivier winner Elliott, whose credits include Company and War Horse, the production will also feature set design by Tom Scutt.

Check back for Sunday in the Park with George tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey. (Photos by Helen Murray and Jason Hetherington)