The London production of Stephen Sondheim's musical "Sunday in the Park With George," scheduled to debut next year at the Barbican, has been cancelled. The musical's cancellation follows the withdrawal of its lead actors, Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey.
Grande and Bailey were set to play Glinda and Fiyero, respectively, in the film adaptation of "Wicked" and its sequel, "Wicked: For Good." This prior commitment appears to be a factor in their unavailability for the London musical.
In August, Grande's publicist announced that the singer and actress would be "taking a step back from visibility" after her recent tour concluded. A representative for Grande told People magazine that this decision was made after her appearances led to "endless, ongoing public scrutiny" regarding her physical appearance and health, which had been subjects of speculation.
Grande later addressed her fans at a Chicago concert, stating that her announcement was not reactive but a planned decision made "quietly, a long time ago." She emphasized the need for boundaries and breaks, reassuring fans that negativity was not harming her.
Bailey also withdrew from "Sunday in the Park With George" at the beginning of September. He expressed his support for the show's director, Marianne Elliott, with whom he had previously collaborated on "Cock" and "Company." Bailey stated he looked forward to seeing what the new cast would create and wished the company the best, vowing to cheer them on.
"Sunday in the Park With George" was slated for a 2025 premiere at the Barbican Theatre in London. The cancellation leaves the future of the production and the roles originally intended for Grande and Bailey uncertain.