The London production of “Sunday in the Park With George” is set to go ahead as planned despite Ariana Grande exiting the show.
The Stephen Sondheim revival, which also stars Grande’s “Wicked” co-star Jonathan Bailey, was scheduled to premiere at London’s Barbican next summer with producers set to launch ticket sales after Grande completed the last leg of her “The Eternal Sunshine Tour” on Sept. 1 in the U.K.
However, on Sunday night reps for the actress said Grande will be “taking a step back from visibility” after she completes her tour — which includes dropping out of the play.
But the show must go on and a rep for producers Empire Street Productions tells Variety: “The production will open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, and casting will be announced in due course.”
Grande was set to star as both Dot and Marie in the revival opposite Bailey as painter George Seurat, offering “Wicked” fans a rare opportunity to see the film’s stars together live on stage. “Sunday in the Park With George” is directed by Tony and Olivier Award winner Marianne Elliot, with design by Tom Scutt. Auditions for the ensemble have been taking place in London this summer.
Producers for the show said they “wish [Grande] nothing but the best,” adding: “We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support.”
In recent years fans have expressed increasing concern for Grande, particularly in regards to her physical appearance. The actor and singer previously disclosed she was diagnosed with PTSD after a suicide bomber killed 22 people, including a number of children, at her concert in Manchester in 2017.
Aside from “Sunday in the Park With George,” Grande’s only other publicly-known commitment is a role in upcoming Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller comedy “Focker-in-Law,” which is set to bow over Thanksgiving. It is unclear whether Grande will still participate in the film’s publicity tour.
Grande’s rep told People magazine: “She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny.”
