Grande was due to star alongside Wicked co-star Jonathan Bailey in a new staging of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday In The Park With George at the Barbican in 2027. Production company Empire Street Productions said the production will continue as scheduled and that her role will be recast.
In a statement to the Press Association, the company said: "Empire Street Productions have 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." The statement added that the decision was made with the company's complete understanding and support, and that they wish her nothing but the best.
The production will still open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, with casting announced in due course.
About the musical
The original musical, created by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, premiered on Broadway in 1984. It is inspired by Georges Seurat's painting A Sunday Afternoon On The Island Of La Grande Jatte and centres on a fictionalised Seurat as he works to finish the artwork, exploring his struggles with life and art while examining his relationship with his lover and muse, Dot.
