InFrame

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)

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 4

Ariana Grande has withdrawn from the forthcoming London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, ending plans for her to appear in the production alongside Jonathan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.

The production is scheduled to open at London’s Barbican Centre in summer 2027.

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.


Kevin McHale Condemns “Glee is Cursed” Conspiracy Theories

Photo Credit: Fox/Disney

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 3

Kevin McHale has condemned fans who continue to describe Glee as a cursed television show, objecting to the way online speculation treats the deaths of former cast members as part of an entertainment narrative.

Ariana Grande to Step Back From Public Visibility After Tour Amid Scrutiny

Ariana Grande attends the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 07, 2025 in Elmont, New York. Photo Credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTV

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 3

Ariana Grande plans to step back from public visibility after completing her current Eternal Sunshine Tour according to a statement issued by her representative and reported by People magazine.

'Clueless' Revived at Paramount+ With Alicia Silverstone Returning as Cher

Photo Credit: Paramount

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 4

Paramount+ announced on July 30 that it had greenlit a sequel event series based on the 1995 teen comedy Clueless, with Alicia Silverstone returning as Cher Horowitz.

Rosie O’Donnell to Return to 'The View' for Season 30

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 07: Rosie O'Donnell attends The 79th Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 07, 2026 in New York City. Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 4

Rosie O’Donnell will return to The View for the daytime program’s 30th season, appearing as a guest after two previous stints as a cohost.

Geno Segers Will No Longer Join Broadway’s 'Hadestown' After Anti-Trans Backlash

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 3

Geno Segers will no longer join the Broadway production of Hadestown, where he had been scheduled to play Hades beginning September 1.

Justice Smith Linked to Rumoured 'Heated Rivalry' Season 2 Role

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 10: Justice Smith attends Lionsgate's "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" New York Premiere at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers on November 10, 2025 in New York City. Photo Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 3

Justice Smith has been linked to a possible role in the second season of Heated Rivalry, the television adaptation of Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels.

The Met’s Next Fashion Exhibit Spotlights John Galliano, and Will Confront His Troubled Past

Fashion designer John Galliano poses at the end of the presentation of the Dior Haute Couture spring/summer 2010 fashion collection on Jan. 25, 2010, in Paris. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Jacques Brinon, File

by Jocelyn Noveck  Aug 3

The next Met Gala fashion exhibit will be devoted to a designer famed for both his singular talent and the scandal that lost him one of the top posts in all of fashion: John Galliano.

Tom Holland Says a Plan Is in Place to Pass Spider-Man’s Mantle to a Future Actor

Photo Credit: Marvel

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 3

Tom Holland has confirmed that a long-term plan exists for eventually passing the Spider-Man mantle to another actor, although he emphasized that the transition is not currently scheduled and that the plan could change.

Ryan Murphy Teases a New Incarnation of ‘Glee’

Photo Credit: Fox/Disney

by Chris Tremblay  Aug 3

Ryan Murphy has again raised the possibility of revisiting Glee, more than 11 years after the Fox musical dramedy ended its six-season run.