Jonathan Bailey is stepping away from the upcoming London revival of Sunday in the Park with George, leaving the anticipated production without either of its originally announced stars.
Bailey had been set to take on the role of George in the Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine musical, opposite his Wicked co-star Ariana Grande as Dot and Marie. The production, directed by Marianne Elliott, is planned for the Barbican in London in summer 2027.
His departure follows Grande’s withdrawal from the project roughly a month earlier. Grande stepped away from the production as part of a wider break from public-facing work following her Eternal Sunshine Tour.
Bailey made clear that his decision comes with continued support for Grande, whom he described as one of his closest friends. He also expressed his admiration for Elliott, with whom he has maintained a longstanding creative relationship.
Leaving the production appears to have been a difficult decision for the actor. Bailey described the Sondheim musical as a project particularly close to him and reflected on the importance of the relationship between George and Dot at the heart of the story.
Rather than signaling doubts about the production itself, Bailey’s comments were firmly supportive of the team moving forward. He expressed enthusiasm about seeing the new performers eventually selected for the central roles and wished the company well as preparations continue.
The departures create a significant challenge for one of London’s most closely watched upcoming theatrical revivals. Bailey and Grande brought not only considerable individual star power but also an established screen partnership after appearing together in Wicked.
The show, however, is still moving ahead.
The production team is working on casting new performers for the lead roles, meaning the next major announcement surrounding the revival could effectively introduce an entirely new central pairing.
For Sunday in the Park with George, a musical built around artistic creation and the complicated connections between its characters, the real-life production has now entered a substantial creative transition of its own.
Bailey may no longer be spending Sunday in the park, but George and Dot are still expected to get there.
