The highly anticipated Wicked reunion is no longer happening. Jonathan Bailey has withdrawn from the upcoming West End revival of Sunday in the Park With George, one month after Ariana Grande announced her own departure.
Bailey confirmed the news Tuesday in a statement shared to his Instagram Stories, explaining that he had decided to step away after “much consideration.”
“Ari is one of my dearest friends, and my support for her is unwavering,” Bailey wrote. “Marianne is extraordinary and one of my longest collaborators and friends.”
He continued, “After much consideration, I have decided to step back from Sunday in the Park With George.”
Bailey had been set to play George opposite Grande’s Dot in the Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine musical. Directed by Marianne Elliott, the revival is still scheduled to open at London’s Barbican Theatre in summer 2027.
About the Production
The casting was first announced earlier this year, after Grande and Bailey teased the project with an Instagram photo taken in front of Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, the painting that inspired the musical.
The reunion was expected to mark Grande’s West End debut and continue Bailey’s acclaimed relationship with the London stage. Bailey previously collaborated with Elliott on the 2018 revival of Company, earning a Laurence Olivier Award for best supporting actor in a musical.
In his departure statement, Bailey described Sunday in the Park With George as a deeply personal project and reflected on the connection between its two central characters.
“This brilliant, introspective musical has been a real passion project for me, and I feel incredibly lucky to have shared in its journey with this team,” Bailey wrote. “Among many things, the story explores the deep connection between George and Dot, a beautiful, devoted pairing, and I so look forward to seeing what the two actors who will now take on these roles will create with it.”
“I wish the very best to the entire company,” he added. “I will be cheering them on as they continue with this production. Jonny x”
The Revival Will Continue With a New Cast
Although both original leads have departed, producers stressed that the revival is moving forward.
“Following Ariana Grande’s withdrawal, Jonathan Bailey has informed the producers that he has also decided to withdraw from Sunday in the Park With George. Work on the production continues,” producers said in a statement.
“Casting discussions are actively underway, and the creative team is reshaping the production around a new company while preserving the ambition and artistic integrity of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical,” the statement continued. “Further casting and production details will be announced in due course.”
Grande announced her exit in August as part of a larger break from public-facing work following the conclusion of her Eternal Sunshine Tour. Her representative said the singer and actor planned to take a “much-deserved break” after facing persistent public scrutiny surrounding her health and physical appearance.
Producers expressed their understanding and support for Grande at the time, while confirming that the musical would still open in summer 2027.
A Sondheim Classic Prepares for a New Company
Featuring music and lyrics by Sondheim and a book by Lapine, Sunday in the Park With George follows a fictionalized version of Seurat as he becomes consumed by the creation of his masterpiece. The musical also explores his complicated relationship with Dot, his lover, collaborator and emotional anchor.
The original Broadway production opened in 1984 with Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters and later won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Its most recent Broadway revival opened in 2017 with Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford.
The new cast and additional production details have not yet been announced.
