Grande and Bailey Tease Sunday in the Park Revival in London

Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey shared a joint Instagram post on Wednesday that strongly hints they will star in a revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. The Wicked co-stars sat in front of Georges Seurat's painting A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, the main inspiration for the musical. This comes after months of talk about the pair teaming up again on stage in London in 2027.

Background

Sunday in the Park with George first opened on Broadway in 1984. Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics, and James Lapine handled the book and direction. The story follows a made-up version of the painter Georges Seurat as he creates his famous picture. It shows his life with his partner Dot and the people around him on the island. In the second act, the action jumps ahead 100 years to Seurat's great-grandson, another artist named George who deals with his own problems in modern times.

The show won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1985. It also picked up Tony Awards for its sets and lighting. Mandy Patinkin played George, and Bernadette Peters was Dot in the original run. Over the years, revivals have kept it alive. A key one happened in London from 2005 to 2006. It started at the Menier Chocolate Factory, then moved to the West End's Wyndham's Theatre. Daniel Evans starred as George, with Anna-Jane Casey and later Jenna Russell as Dot. That production earned five Olivier Awards, including best musical and acting nods.

Sondheim died in November 2021 at age 91 from heart issues. He left a huge mark on theater with works like West Side Story, Into the Woods, Company, Sweeney Todd, and Follies. He holds records for Tony wins as a composer, plus Grammy and Oscar honors. His song Sooner or Later from Dick Tracy won him that Oscar, sung by Madonna.

Grande and Bailey met while filming Wicked. She plays Glinda the Good Witch, and he is Prince Fiyero. The two-part movie came out in recent years, and their on-screen link has stayed strong off screen too. Fans have wanted to see them together again since the films wrapped.

Key Details

The Instagram post went up on January 14. Bailey captioned it with the line 'All it has to be is good,' pulled straight from the musical's title song. The photo shows them right in front of Seurat's massive painting, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago. People close to the project say this acts as their way of confirming the revival without a full press release.

Reports point to the show opening in summer 2027 at London's Barbican Theatre. Marianne Elliott will direct. She has won multiple Tony and Olivier Awards. Bailey worked with her before on the 2019 West End revival of Company, where he played Jamie. Industry talk has Bailey as George and Grande as Dot. They have done early read-throughs and fit the roles well, sources say.

Roles and Past Work

Grande has stage credits from earlier in her career. She was in the original Broadway cast of 13: The Musical by Jason Robert Brown. In 2016, she played Penny Pingleton in the NBC live Hairspray. Bailey started young with the Royal Shakespeare Company. By age eight, he was Gavroche in a West End Les Misérables. His credits include Othello in 2013, The York Realist in 2018, c*ck in 2022, and Richard II in 2025. He also did The Last Five Years in London in 2016.

This marks the first major London run of Sunday in the Park with George in almost 20 years. The last one was that 2005-2006 version. Other revivals include a 2008 Broadway transfer from the Menier and a 2017 Broadway show with Jake Gyllenhaal as George and Annaleigh Ashford as Dot.

"All it has to be is good." – Jonathan Bailey, Instagram caption

Neither actor has given a direct statement on their parts or dates. But the post, plus reports from theater insiders, makes clear the project moves forward.

What This Means

The revival brings a fresh take on Sondheim's work to a new crowd. Grande pulls in pop fans who may not know the show. Her voice suits Dot's songs, which mix humor and heart. Bailey's theater background gives him edge for George's quiet drive and inner fights. Their Wicked tie adds buzz, as fans follow their moves closely.

Elliott's direction promises strong staging. Her Company work showed she handles Sondheim with care, blending old ideas with new views. The Barbican fits well. It hosted big musicals before and draws crowds for bold productions.

For London theater, this fills a gap. No full Sunday revival here since 2006. It could draw tourists and locals, boosting West End after tough years. Sondheim's catalog stays hot, with films and revivals keeping his name out there.

Casting rumors hold weight because of the read-throughs. If true, Grande and Bailey take on tough parts. George needs control and vision; Dot brings life and frustration. Their chemistry from Wicked could shine in the close two-hander moments.

Theater pros watch how this shapes up. Sondheim shows demand top talent for the scores. Success here might spark more revivals of his lesser-seen works. Fans already line up in comments, sharing excitement for tickets. The post got quick traction, with thousands liking and sharing.

Producers stay quiet on full details like ticket sales or full cast. But the tease sets up big news soon. Summer 2027 gives time for rehearsals and hype. This reunion caps a strong run for both stars, moving from screen to stage in a classic.