The 2027 Barbican revival of Sunday in the Park With George is officially off, and the reason comes down to two very big names stepping away. Ariana Grande was the first to pull back, with her team saying in August that she needed a break from public visibility after the Eternal Sunshine Tour. Then on September 1, Jonathan Bailey announced his own exit, calling the Sondheim musical a passion project and saying he made the decision after much consideration.
Producers had said work and casting discussions would continue, but on September 14 they confirmed the Barbican production will no longer proceed as scheduled. Empire Street Productions still holds the rights and is aiming for a possible 2028 staging, so the project isn’t fully dead, just on ice.
What makes this one sting for theater fans is that it was supposed to be a real event: two Wicked costars reuniting for a Sondheim classic, directed by Marianne Elliott. Instead it’s become a bigger conversation about celebrity workload and the pressure of constant visibility. So what do you think, should the show wait for its dream cast, or move on without them?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.