Ariana Grande has withdrawn from the upcoming London revival of Sunday in the Park with George, her representative said, as the singer prepares to step back from public-facing work after completing her Eternal Sunshine Tour.
The pop singer had been scheduled to appear alongside her Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey in a new staging of Stephen Sondheim's critically acclaimed musical at the Barbican in 2027.
A Break From Public Scrutiny
A representative for Grande told People: "Ariana will be taking a step back from visibility after she completes the Eternal Sunshine Tour."
"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."
"This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much."
Production Continues With Recasting
Part of stepping back includes no longer appearing in Sunday in the Park with George. The Barbican show will still go ahead as planned and Grande's part will be recast, production company Empire Street Productions said.
In a statement to the Press Association, Empire Street Productions said: "Following this evening's announcement from Ariana Grande's team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George."
"We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support."
"We wish her nothing but the best. The production will open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, and casting will be announced in due course."
About the Musical
The original musical, created by Sondheim and James Lapine, debuted on Broadway in 1984 starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters. It is inspired by the Georges Seurat painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.
The show follows a fictionalised Seurat as he tries to complete the portrait, showing challenges in understanding life and art, and exploring his relationship with his lover and muse, Dot.
Tour and Career
Grande is currently on her Eternal Sunshine tour, which will come to the UK in August with a 10-night residency at London's The O2. Her final London show on September 1 will also mark the end of the tour.
The announcement about Sunday in the Park with George comes after Grande released the music video for Petal, the title single from her newly released eighth studio album, which sparked speculation about her health.
Grande has won three Grammy awards amid a successful music career which took off in 2013 after the release of her debut album, Yours Truly. She first found fame playing Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon television shows Victorious and Sam & Cat, and was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Glinda in the big screen adaptation of Wicked.
