London musical called off following Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey pullouts

EntertainmentMusic
14 Sep 2026 • 7:59 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

London musical called off following Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey pullouts

  • The planned 2027 London revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical Sunday In The Park With George at the Barbican Theatre has been cancelled following the departure of its lead actors.
  • Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey both pulled out of the production, which was set to be directed by Marianne Elliott, with Grande stepping back from the spotlight in August and Bailey withdrawing earlier this month.
  • Empire Street Productions confirmed that the Barbican run will not go ahead as scheduled, but the company retains the rights with plans to present the show in 2028.
  • Jonathan Bailey expressed his unwavering support for Grande, describing the musical as a passion project while wishing the production team well as new actors are sought for the lead roles.
  • This marks the second delay for a revival of the musical, following an earlier production starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford that was postponed indefinitely in 2021 due to Covid-19.

IN FULL

Newswav Malaysia Best News App

Newswav is an online content aggregator and obtains its content from different online sources. The content in the app do not belong to Newswav nor do they reflect the opinions of Newswav and its staff. Your use of this app indicates your understanding and acceptance of this information.

Newswav Sdn. Bhd. (201701008480 (1222645-M)) 2026 All Rights Reserved