Following the departure of Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey, the previously announced London revival of Sunday in the Park With George has been cancelled. The production took to their social media to announced the cancellation, stating that the company will retain the rights of the production in hopes to mount it in 2028.
The statement reads: “The planned 2027 production of Sunday in the Park with George at the Barbican will no longer proceed as scheduled. Empire Street Productions will retain the rights with a view to presenting the production in 2028. Further details will be announced in due course.”
As BroadwayWorld previously reported, Grande departed the production after she announced she would be “taking a step back from visibility” due to “endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”
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.
About Sunday In The Park With George
Sunday in the Park With George premiered on Broadway in 1984, starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters. The musical won the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, two Tony Awards for design (and a nomination for Best Musical), and numerous Drama Desk Awards. 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.
The show was last seen in London at the Menier Chocolate Factory, opening on November 14, 2005, and closing on March 17, 2006. The production starred Daniel Evans and Anna-Jane Casey, with direction by Sam Buntrock. The production transferred to the Wyndham’s Theatre in London’s West End, opening on May 23, 2006, and closing on September 2, 2006. Jenna Russell replaced Casey. The revival received six Olivier Award nominations overall, and won five in total including Outstanding Musical Production, Best Actor in a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical.
