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Sunday In The Park With George Revival Postponed After Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey Exit
Confirmed
In Short: The London revival of 'Sunday In The Park With George' has been cancelled following the withdrawal of stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey, with plans for a possible 2028 revival.
The upcoming London revival of 'Sunday In The Park With George' has been cancelled following the withdrawal of stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey, according to reports. After Ariana Grande announced her departure, Jonathan Bailey followed suit, citing his loyalty to Grande. Both artists expressed their support for each other and the production. The show, which premiered on Broadway in 1984, has seen several successful revivals, but this latest attempt is now postponed to 2028.
The anticipated 2027 production of 'Sunday in the Park with George' at London’s Barbican has been officially cancelled due to the departures of Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey from the project, according to reports. Grande withdrew first, in August, after announcing she needed a break from public life following relentless scrutiny during her Eternal Sunshine tour. Bailey announced his own withdrawal approximately two weeks before Empire Street's postponement statement, citing his loyalty to Grande.
Producers had initially moved to reassure audiences after Grande's exit, insisting the 2027 timeline was intact. However, the company plans to revisit 'Sunday in the Park with George' for a possible 2028 revival, as reported by Culture.org.
What's confirmed
- The upcoming London revival of Sunday In The Park With George has been cancelled following the withdrawal of stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey.
What's still developing
- Shortly after, Jonathan Bailey dropped out of the production, sharing on social media that he has made the decision to step back after his friend Ariana Grande announced her departure.
- “Ari is one of my dearest friends, and my support for her is unwavering," Bailey wrote in his statement.
- "Marianne is extraordinary and one of my longest collaborators and friends,” Bailey says.
- “After much consideration, I have decided to also step back from Sunday in the Park with George." At that time, the production confirmed that the show was still set to go on as scheduled with a new cast to take over in the lead roles.
- Sunday in the Park With George premiered on Broadway in 1984, starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters.
- Several subsequent revivals followed, including the 2005–2006 UK production first presented at the Menier Chocolate Factory, its 2008 Broadway transfer, and a 2017 Broadway revival, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.
- Grande and Bailey were key figures in this highly awaited staging, attracting significant interest from fans of both the stars and musical theatre.
- Their exits had already sparked concerns about the viability of the production moving forward.