Producers Express Support as Ariana Grande Exits 'Sunday in the Park with George'
Ariana GrandePhoto Credit: (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for National Board of Review)
Ariana Grande has withdrawn from the forthcoming London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, ending plans for her to appear in the production alongside Jonathan Bailey.
Grande had been announced for the production with Bailey, her co-star in the Wicked film series. The musical’s official website previously listed Grande and Bailey among the production’s announced performers.
The production team confirmed that Grande’s role will be recast and said the show remains planned for the Barbican. The team also said further casting would be announced later.
Producers Offer Public Support
Following the announcement, the producers issued a statement expressing support for Grande’s decision to leave the production.
“We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support,” the production said in a statement reported by Reuters.
The statement added that the producers wished Grande “nothing but the best.”
The response places the emphasis on Grande’s decision to step away rather than on any reported dispute with the production. The available statements do not identify a disagreement between Grande and the producers.
Grande’s representative told People that the singer plans to reduce her public visibility after completing her current Eternal Sunshine Tour. The representative said Grande wanted to finish the tour “both healthily and happily” before taking a break from public-facing work and appearances.
The representative described the scrutiny surrounding Grande’s public-facing work as “endless” and “ongoing.” Neither the representative’s statement nor the producers’ statement attributed Grande’s departure to a specific medical diagnosis.
A Production Still Scheduled for 2027
The planned revival is an adaptation of Sondheim’s musical about the painter Georges Seurat and the people connected to his work. The official production website identifies Sondheim as the musical’s composer and lyricist.
The project is not being described as cancelled. Producers said the Barbican engagement would proceed as scheduled, with a replacement for Grande’s role to be announced in due course.
Ticket sales had already been delayed until autumn 2026, according to reporting published in July. The production had previously been expected to begin selling tickets earlier in the year.
The July report said the production remained scheduled for the Barbican in summer 2027 despite the ticketing delay. Current reporting likewise says the production will continue, although its casting has changed.
Tour and Public Scrutiny
Grande’s representative said the singer intends to complete the Eternal Sunshine Tour before taking her break. Reuters reported that the tour is expected to conclude next month.
The representative said the tour had been a positive experience for Grande and that she loved her fans. The statement did not say that Grande was ending her music career or withdrawing permanently from acting.
Reuters reported that scrutiny of Grande had included public discussion of her appearance and health. Such discussion has been widely reported as part of the context for her planned retreat from public-facing work, but the representative did not provide a more detailed explanation of the scrutiny.
Grande’s decision means that her planned London musical-theater appearance will not take place as originally announced. The production’s public response, however, indicates that organizers intend to preserve the revival while replacing her in the cast.
Further information about the replacement performer, ticket sales and the final production schedule has not yet been announced in the cited reports. Until those details are released, the confirmed changes are Grande’s departure, the planned recasting of her role and the production’s stated intention to open at the Barbican in summer 2027.
Copyright EDGE Media Network. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
