Ariana Grande has officially withdrawn from the upcoming Barbican production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George, according to a statement from the theatre. Her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey will remain in the lead role, with a new co-lead to be announced. The production, directed by Marianne Elliott, is still scheduled for summer 2027, but ticket sales have been pushed to autumn 2026.
Grande's withdrawal follows world tour conclusion
The pop superstar's exit comes after the conclusion of her current world tour, which likely explains why the originally planned May 2026 onsale date never materialised. The Barbican has confirmed that Bailey, who plays the titular George, will continue in the production, which is now expected to be a hot ticket but perhaps not as frenzied as it would have been with Grande attached. For London theatregoers, this may be a silver lining, making tickets slightly more accessible.
Grande's departure marks a significant shift for the production, which had been highly anticipated as a reunion of the two Wicked stars. While Bailey's stage credentials are extensive, including a celebrated turn in Elliott's 2018 revival of Sondheim's Company, Grande's stage debut as a massive star had added an extra layer of excitement. She had performed in a couple of US shows before her pop career, but this would have been her first major London stage role.
Background: A long-awaited Sondheim classic
This production of Sunday in the Park with George has been in the works for years. In 2020, a Broadway revival starring Jake Gyllenhaal was planned to transfer to London, but the pandemic scuppered those plans. Now, with the coast clear, the Barbican is hosting a fresh staging directed by Marianne Elliott, with design by Tom Scutt. The musical, inspired by Georges Seurat's pointillist masterpiece A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, follows a fictionalised version of the artist and, years later, his cynical great-grandson.
Elliott's previous collaboration with Bailey on Company was widely praised, and her direction is seen as a strong omen for this production. The show is slated to run at the Barbican Centre in summer 2027, with tickets originally expected to go on sale in May 2026. However, due to the casting change, the onsale has been delayed to autumn 2026. Interested audiences can sign up for updates on the Barbican's website.
Impact on ticket demand and audience
While Grande's withdrawal may temper the initial frenzy, the production is still expected to be enormously popular, especially among musical theatre enthusiasts and Wicked fans. The combination of Bailey's proven stage talent, Elliott's direction, and Sondheim's timeless score ensures the show remains a major draw. International audiences, particularly Americans, may still flock to London for the run, so tickets are likely to sell quickly once they go on sale.
For those planning to attend, it's advisable to monitor the Barbican's official channels for the exact onsale date. The production's delay in ticket sales could also allow more time for potential casting announcements, which may further shape audience expectations.
